In His Shoes
by Ms. Zeal
Summary: COMPLETE! Post Mnemonic. Kenshin and Hiko accidentally switch bodies. Can they keep it a secret until they figure out how to switch back?
1. Switch

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

To give credit where credit is due, the reasoning behind why Kenshin and Hiko were able to switch bodies was the original idea of Unseen Watcher. To make the story interesting, it won't be explained until later chapters. However, it was Unseen Watcher's brilliance that made the writing of this story possible. Thanks for letting me borrow your idea!

Also, this story takes place after _Mnemonic,_ but it is not mandatory that you read that story first.

**Chapter 1**

Steel clashed against steel, the sound being heard clearly over the splashing of the waterfall. Kenshin jumped back, his sword gripped tightly in his hands, breathing hard. He hadn't pushed himself this hard in a long time, and he knew he wouldn't be able to last much longer. His harsh breathing was echoed by his opponent, although the latter didn't seem as worn out as Kenshin did. _Well, we have been going almost non-stop since noon,_ Kenshin thought, glancing up at the full moon, partially obscured by clouds. Kenshin had lost track of the time, but --judging by the moon's position-- he guessed the sun to have set a little over an hour previously. He returned his gaze to his opponent.

Across from Kenshin, standing on the rocky ledge protruding in front of the waterfall, stood Hiko Seijiro XIII. He held his katana in front of him, his mantle moving slightly in the breeze. He stood tall and impassive, looking as though he had just begun the fight, as opposed to having been fighting half the day. His breathing, however, indicated otherwise.

_This is the first time I've actually been a challenge for him. I'll bet that's annoying him to no end,_ the rurouni thought, allowing himself to smile. He noticed Hiko shift his weight slightly, preparing to attack. Kenshin did the same, planning to meet his master halfway.

Their blades clashed together again as Kenshin blocked Hiko's katana. Pushing Kenshin back, Hiko quickly sheathed his sword, taking the stance for battoujutsu. Counting on his superior speed to save him, Kenshin quickly mirrored his master's stance and was beginning to draw his sakabato when Hiko's boot hit his left side. The force of the attack knocked Kenshin to the ground, effectively stopping his battoujutsu. Instinctively, he curled protectively around his injured side, although he maintained a firm grip on both his sakabato and sheath.

Hiko stood slightly hunched over, his hand gripping his left side. He looked down, confused. _I just kicked Kenshin's left side, so why does mine hurt? I must have pulled a muscle, or something,_ he thought. He waited for the pain to subside before speaking. "Baka deshi, how many times do I have to tell you this? You rely too much on reading your opponent's moves. Just because I have a sword in my hand doesn't mean I am going to use it."

Kenshin pulled himself to his feet using his sheath before replacing it in his belt. _I can't believe I fell for that again,_ he thought, berating himself. _Just once, it would be nice if **I** had the advantage in size and strength!_

The wind blew softly, pushing the clouds until they were completely obscuring the moonlight. Hiko was more tired than he'd like to admit, and he hadn't thought to bring any sake with him. He could use a good drink right about now. _I think this sparring match has gone on long enough. Since the clouds are covering the moon, he can't see my stance, so I think I'll use a Ku-zu-ryu-sen._

Kenshin sighed, tiredly. He was ready to call it quits, but he wasn't going down without a fight. _This will be my last attack. I need something that is totally unexpected. Give up and walk away?_ Kenshin shook his head, imperceptibly. _Unexpected, yes, but not quite what I'm looking for. He'll be expecting me to use one of the techniques, so that's no good. I could try feinting with my sword and using my foot like he did, but I'm too light for it to have much of an effect against him. But what else is there?_ Kenshin's eyes widened slightly as he got an idea. _Ki! We haven't used any ki-intimidation yet. It won't do much good, but it'll definitely surprise him, perhaps enough to throw him off. Who knows, maybe I'll win, for once. Now, what attack should I use?_

Silently, Hiko shifted his stance to that of Ku-zu-ryu-sen. He could tell Kenshin was thinking about what his next attack would be. _It would really annoy Kenshin if I catch him off-guard two times in a row. Now, what would take him by surprise?_ he wondered, flipping his sword so that the blunt side would hit Kenshin. _I've got it. I'll use my ki to intimidate him while I'm attacking. He certainly won't be expecting that, and I will be able to humiliate him completely. Perfect._

Kenshin could tell Hiko was about ready to attack, and thought fast. _Okay, I want to take him out, if I can, so I'll use the strongest technique I can. I'm not sure I would be able to time it right for an Ama-kakeru-ryu-no-hirameki, so I'll use a Ku-zu-ryu-sen,_ Kenshin decided, quickly and silently changing his stance.

They lunged toward each other simultaneously, both flaring their ki. Their swords crashed together, the sound seeming deafening in their ears. There was a strange sensation, as if they were each falling, before they were flung apart, both landing on the ground.

The wind ruffled his black bangs as Kenshin stared up, watching as the clouds parted, allowing the moon to light the landscape once more. _Well, I lost. Not too surprising, really, but I had hoped that would work..._ his thought trailed off. Feeling a little less tired than he had a moment ago, he decided he could fight for a while longer. He started to move his cloak so he could put his hand on the ground to push himself up when he realized he didn't have a cloak. Looking down, he saw Hiko's mantle sitting on his shoulders. "Oro?!"

Hiko was stunned. _He beat my Ku-zu-ryu-sen. That's not possible. How could he have beaten my Ku-zu-ryu-sen? There is no way I could have lost-- I have the advantage in both size and strength-- it's just not possible that I could have lost!_ Hiko was brought out of his thoughts as he heard an unfamiliar voice say, "Oro?"

Not having detected anyone approach, Hiko quickly sat up, casting out his senses. He looked around for the intruder, irritably shaking his red hair out of his eyes. He couldn't feel the presence of anyone else but Kenshin. He turned to his deshi, opening his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He could sense Kenshin's ki, but it was _his_ body that was staring back at him. Looking down, Hiko realized that he was looking at Kenshin's body.

"Shishou?" Kenshin asked, timidly, in Hiko's deep baritone voice.

Hiko looked up again, his eyes flashing amber. He replied in Kenshin's light tenor, almost musical voice. "Baka deshi! What have you done?!"


	2. Morning After

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

**Chapter 2**

Hiko continued glaring at his body. "Well?!"

Kenshin held up his hands. "It's not my fault! I only used the Ku-zu-ryu-sen! I highly doubt _that_ caused us to switch bodies!"

_I used a Ku-zu-ryu-sen, as well. However, we've used the same attacks before, and nothing like this has happened! What went wrong?_ Hiko wondered, standing and brushing the dirt from his clothing.

After the shock of having switched bodies wore off somewhat, Kenshin and Hiko headed back to the cabin. Hiko was muttering curses under his breath, most of them directed at Kenshin.

The now ebony-haired rurouni followed silently behind his master-- or at least tried to. He could walk quietly, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not move without making some sort of sound. _I feel like I'm a lumbering ox! Hiko's body is much too muscle bound for my tastes,_ Kenshin thought, cringing as another branch snapped under his foot. He sighed. _This is going to take some getting used to._

When they reached the cabin, Kenshin idly built a fire, his mind wondering what had caused the switch and how they could reverse it. Hiko made a beeline for the storage room, emerging with two jugs of sake. They sat in silence, Kenshin staring into the fire, deep in thought, while Hiko drank.

After a few minutes, Hiko began to have trouble sitting upright, and began swaying slightly as he tried to maintain his balance. _Why am I drinking only a sip at a time? It's much faster this way,_ he thought, setting the saucer down and drinking straight from the jug. _The sake hasn't tasted this good in a long time,_ he thought, hiccupping.

Kenshin was going over every detail of what had happened, trying to find an explanation. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice Hiko's rapidly declining state until he heard a thump, and looked up. The red head was lying on the floor, an empty sake jug clutched loosely in one hand, with another empty jug at his feet. His cheeks were flushed, but he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. With a start, Kenshin realized what had happened. _Great. He passed out, drunk. My body doesn't have anywhere near the tolerance for sake that his does. All I can say is that HE had better be the one to wake up in that body tomorrow morning!_ he thought, moving Hiko to a futon. He stayed up, staring unseeing into the fire until it had burned down to embers. Trying to understand what had caused the situation had left him with a dull throb behind his eyes. Deciding it could wait until morning, Kenshin stretched his slightly stiff muscles, and went to bed.

. . .

Kenshin woke up the next morning with his skull pounding. He raised a hand to his head, surprised to see that the hand was not his, until he remembered the events of the previous night. Kenshin stretched, feeling more than a few of his muscles starting to cramp, before standing up. He suppressed a groan as the pounding in his head intensified with the change of altitude. Moving carefully to the kitchen, he started making some willow bark tea for his headache, wondering why he felt so shaky. _Perhaps I pushed Shishou too hard last night-- he's not getting any younger, after all. I just didn't realize his body had deteriorated this much!_ Kenshin thought, rubbing a muscle that was cramping in his shoulder.

He walked over to the sink and splashed cold water on his face, hoping the shock would override the other complaints from his body. It helped a little bit, but not much. Going back into the other room, Kenshin got dressed while his tea steeped. He eyed Hiko's mantle, finally throwing it over his shoulders. _If I'm going to dress up like Shishou, might as well do it right._

After he had his tea, he went to check on Hiko. The red head was still asleep, so Kenshin decided to prepare a few things before Hiko woke up. _I have only ever once drank enough sake to pass out. You're lucky I'm experienced and here to help you, Shishou,_ Kenshin thought, carrying a bucket of water and a cup outside. He placed them in the shade, a little ways away from the house, before retrieving a few cloths and putting them next to it. Thinking about the mess that was likely to follow Hiko's waking, Kenshin took off the mantle, putting it back in the house. _No use in dirtying more clothes for me to wash,_ he thought, grabbing another cloth. He turned as he heard a soft moan come from Hiko's futon.

Hiko opened his eyes, instantly regretting it. He moaned, an alien and painful sound to his ears, as he covered his eyes with his hand, trying to block out the light. He mentally checked his body, discovering his head felt like it was under a sword smith's hammer, and his stomach was very anxious to empty itself. Not willing to make a mess in the house, Hiko stood to go outside. He realized this was a very bad idea as his legs gave out beneath him, the room spinning and tilting crazily. Two strong arms caught him as he fell.

"Come on, Shishou. Let's get you outside," a deep voice said near his ear. Hiko's stomach threatened dire things as he felt himself being lifted and carried outside.

"Put me down! I can walk!" he said, glaring into the face of...himself.

Kenshin paused, closing his eyes as a wave of dizziness hit him. The spell passed momentarily, and Kenshin looked down to see Hiko glaring at him with amber eyes. _Oh, so that's what I look like. No wonder I could terrify people with a look,_ Kenshin thought, hurrying over to the edge of the clearing, trying not to jostle Hiko too much. He set Hiko on the ground, supporting him, just as Hiko's restraints broke. The red head vomited, his stomach trying to rid itself of what it could. Kenshin supported Hiko's limp body, wiping his mouth as he paused, gasping for breath before his stomach contracted again. Kenshin had to firmly resist the urge to vomit with Hiko. _I'm not usually this squeamish. What's wrong with me?_ Kenshin wondered, forced to look away as he wiped Hiko's mouth.

They repeated this two or three times before Hiko seemed to be finished. _Good grief, where did all that come from? I know I didn't eat _that_ much yesterday,_ Kenshin thought, shaking his head. By this time, Hiko was shaking like a leaf, beads of sweat running down his face. Knowing the smell would only worsen the problem, Kenshin picked Hiko up, moving him to the bucket of water he had placed in the shade.

The movement caused Hiko to start dry heaving. Kenshin dipped the cup in the water, noticing that he was shaking as well, before placing it to Hiko's lips. The smaller man shook his head, but Kenshin insisted. "Shishou, it is better if you have something to throw up. Just small sips," he said, coaxing Hiko to drink.

The first two sips came back up, but the third one stayed down. Taking this for a good sign, Kenshin helped Hiko rinse his mouth out before laying him on the ground. Dipping one of the cloths in the water, Kenshin pushed back Hiko's red bangs, laying the cloth on his forehead, and covering his eyes against the light. "Would you like some willow bark tea for your headache?" Kenshin asked, softly. His head was pounding badly enough for him to consider drinking some more tea. He could only imagine what his master's head felt like.

Hiko mumbled an affirmative answer, and Kenshin went to fetch a cup of the tea he had left in the kitchen. He helped Hiko drink it, before trying to move the red head inside.

"No, leave me out here for a while longer. My stomach isn't completely settled," Hiko said, his light tenor somewhat strained.

Shrugging, Kenshin returned inside and brought out a futon. He laid it on the ground before picking Hiko up and putting him on it. Kenshin noticed his master's jaw clench at having to be picked up, but Hiko knew he couldn't get onto the futon without help, so he didn't say anything.

After his stomach had settled again, Hiko looked at Kenshin. "Bring me some sake."

Kenshin looked at him, surprised, before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Shishou, but that's what got you in this condition in the first place. My body can't handle as much sake as yours can. You're going to have to do without," Kenshin said, going back into the house.

Now that Hiko had been taken care of, Kenshin decided to make breakfast. His stomach had settled down after Hiko had finished throwing up, and he was hungry. He moved around the kitchen, distracted, as his hands went through the motions of cooking. Kenshin usually took care of himself when he was sick, but it was just weird to look down and see his own face contort in pain. He wasn't quite used to looking at his body from an outsider's viewpoint. Absently, Kenshin reached for a bottle of salt to season the food. Not realizing that Hiko's arms were longer than his, he accidentally knocked the stack of wooden bowls behind it off the counter. They clattered onto the floor, hitting against each other and making a lot of noise, but none of them broke. Kenshin had stooped to pick them up when he heard a soft moan come from outside.

Getting a mischievous smile on his face, Kenshin took a deep breath. "SORRY, SHISHOU!" he apologized, his voice much louder than it needed to be. He tried not to laugh too loudly as he heard Hiko cursing him and all baka deshi's in general.

. . .

Kenshin had already finished breakfast and was working on the laundry by the time Hiko felt steady enough to stand on his own. The willow bark tea had helped, but his head was still giving him a lot of grief. The best cure he knew for that was currently in the storage room, and Kenshin refused to bring it to him. Slowly standing and carefully making his way inside, Hiko went straight for the sake.

Entering the storage room, Hiko walked to where he kept his sake jugs, only to find they had been moved. Taking a step back, he scanned all the shelves on the wall, noting that every last sake jug had been moved to the top shelf. Hiko tried to reach one, only to be reminded that Kenshin's body was too short. Cursing his deshi's vertically challenged stature, Hiko looked around for the stool. He had enjoyed telling Kenshin to get things from the top shelf, and the younger man had placed a stool in there for that purpose. Although, it now seemed that Kenshin had not only moved all the sake out of Hiko's reach, but taken the stool, as well.

Not willing to admit defeat by searching for it, Hiko eyed the shelves, critically. _I built these shelves myself, so I know they're sturdy. They wouldn't hold me, but they should hold Kenshin's measly weight,_ Hiko thought, putting his foot on the bottom shelf. He stepped up slowly, testing its strength, before climbing higher. The second shelf started to groan when he stepped up, so he quickly climbed back down. _This is the last time I'll allow that baka deshi of mine to visit-- all he ever does is cause problems!_ Hiko thought, growling softly. He eyed the sake jugs, thinking about another way to retrieve them. He could practically hear Kenshin outside, laughing.

Another idea formed in his mind, and he stuck his head out of the room to make sure Kenshin wouldn't see him. He looked at the shelf again, judging the height. Bending his knees, Hiko jumped up, snagging one of the sake jugs. Unfortunately, being able to walk doesn't mean one is able to jump, and Hiko landed on his back, sake jug cradled protectively in his arms.

Kenshin, having finished the laundry, came inside, stretching his aching back. Hearing a thump come from the storage room, he shook his head. _Shishou got his sake,_ he thought, a little annoyed. He hadn't really thought moving the sake out of reach would have deterred his master, but he also wasn't too fond of the idea of having to help Hiko through another hangover.

A few minutes later, Hiko emerged carrying a sake jug and glaring at Kenshin. He sat down, pouring some sake into a saucer, and sipping it.

"Shishou, drinking is the reason why you have a hangover in the first place. Why--" Kenshin started, only to have Hiko interrupt him.

"I have more experience with hangovers than you do. By drinking a little bit, sake will actually make you feel better."

"By whose definition of a little bit..." Kenshin mumbled, watching Hiko drink. Rubbing a cramping muscle in his leg, Kenshin decided now was a good time to apologize. "I'm sorry, Shishou. I didn't mean to push you so hard last night," he said, solemnly.

Hiko paused, cocking an eyebrow at Kenshin. _What is he babbling on about, now?_

At Hiko's confused look, Kenshin continued. "Your body, Shishou. You're not getting any younger, and I didn't realize how our sparring match would affect you this morning."

Hiko's eyebrow twitched. "Are you calling me old?"

"Shishou, I woke up with a pounding headache, although I didn't drink any sake last night, and I doubt I could get drunk in your body if I tried. My muscles have been cramping all day, I feel very shaky, and I'm sore. You tell me you're not getting old," Kenshin replied, a little annoyed. _How dense does Shishou think I am? I'm the one in his body, for crying out loud!_

Hiko looked at Kenshin. "You didn't drink any sake last night?" Kenshin shook his head, and Hiko continued. "Baka deshi! You're going through sake withdrawal!" He started to hand his jug of sake to Kenshin, but stopped, seeming to consider something. He glared at Kenshin again. "You can reach-- go get your own sake," he said, re-filling his saucer.

. . .

Drinking some sake had made Kenshin feel much better, and he decided to take advantage of it. Hiko's stockpile of firewood was pretty low, so Kenshin took it upon himself to chop some more. Kenshin had never considered himself to be weak, but chopping wood in Hiko's body was a new experience. He'd never been able to accomplish the chore with such ease. Kenshin was enjoying using his new muscles.

Hiko came outside, sake jug in hand with his katana in his obi, and went to his kiln. He busied himself building a fire. "Hey, don't you have another gi with you?" Hiko asked, eyeing the magenta gi with distaste.

"I have a blue one, but it was left with Kaoru-dono's things, at the Aoiya," Kenshin explained. _I didn't think she'd actually take my gi so I'd wear the magenta one..._

Hiko grunted-- an odd sound in Kenshin's higher voice --and, removing the gi, tossed it into the fire.

Kenshin felt a thrill of relief before the seriousness of the situation hit to him. "Shishou, that was a new gi..." Kenshin said, watching the material burn.

Hiko looked at him. Kenshin didn't seem too upset about losing it. "I refuse to wear pink. Don't worry, I'll buy you a new gi," he said, taking a seat on the log in front of the kiln.

"That's not what I'm worried about. Kaoru-dono just bought that gi for me, and she'll be expecting me to wear it," Kenshin said, softly. He didn't want to imagine Kaoru's reaction when she found out the gi was burned.

Hiko looked up, as if he had just remembered something. "Today is Friday, isn't it? You were supposed to go back to Tokyo with that Kamiya girl today, weren't you?"

"Yes, I was supposed to pick up Kaoru-dono at the Aoiya this morning," Kenshin said.

"She'll come up here looking for you, no doubt. Tell her you've decided I need more training, and I'll be staying here for a while longer," Hiko ordered.

"Huh? But, Shishou, why don't we just tell her--"

"Baka! You did something to get us into this mess, and I will not allow my reputation to be tarnished because of it. No one finds out what happened, understood?" Hiko asked, his tone brooking no argument.

Kenshin sighed. "Alright, Shishou."

Hiko turned back towards the fire, taking a sip of his sake. A cool wind blew lightly across his bare back, brushing his hair softly against his skin, and sending goosebumps down his arms. He shivered, involuntarily. _Why am I so cold? I know Kenshin needs more body fat to keep him warm and winter is fast approaching, but this is ridiculous! Is Kenshin always this cold?!_ he thought, folding his arms to retain some of his body heat without looking like he was trying to do so.

Kenshin shivered as a light breeze ruffled his black hair. _That's strange. I'm sweating and shivering at the same time. Could I be getting sick?_ Kenshin wondered. Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Looking over, Kenshin saw Hiko get off the log and kneel on the ground, much closer to the fire. Kenshin chuckled at his master's discomfort, not noticing he no longer felt cold. _You shouldn't have tossed the gi into the fire. It gets pretty cold up here in the mountains,_ Kenshin thought, smiling. His smile faded as he felt a familiar ki in the distance, heading towards them. It was Kaoru.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	3. Kaoru

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

**Chapter 3**

Wordlessly, Hiko rose and walked over to Kenshin, holding out his katana. After a slight hesitation, Kenshin accepted it, reluctantly handing over his sakabato. Putting the slightly shorter sword through his obi, Hiko resumed his place near the fire.

As Kenshin felt Kaoru's ki coming closer, his gaze slid over to his master. Hiko was sitting in front of the kiln, relaxed, sipping his sake. _Hiko thinks he can convincingly act like me? This should be entertaining,_ Kenshin thought, smiling to himself.

Several minutes later, Kaoru entered the clearing. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise as she saw 'Kenshin' sitting gi-less in front of the kiln, sipping sake. Surprise turning to anger, Kaoru drew her bokken and lunged at the red head. "Kenshin, you jerk! I was worried when you didn't come down, thinking something bad had happened, and I find you up here _drinking sake?!_" she yelled, swinging her bokken towards Kenshin's head.

Reading her ki, Hiko easily evaded the attack, jumping up and landing behind her, careful not to spill any of the sake. A small noise made him look towards Kenshin, who was shaking his head in disapproval. _He expects me to just sit there and let her hit me? I don't think so!_ Hiko thought, turning back towards Kaoru.

The kendo instructor was more than a little surprised. _Kenshin dodged my attack. I don't believe it. He _never_ dodges my attack! Although, he did block it when he had amnesia,_ Kaoru mused, turning to face the red head. Her eyes landed on the sake jug in his hand. _Of course, I've never attacked him when he's been drinking, either,_ Kaoru thought, directing her anger elsewhere. "Kenshin, why are you drinking sake? It's the middle of the day. And...what happened to the gi I bought you?"

Hiko's eyes slid over to Kenshin. _Might as well blame my baka deshi for everything,_ Hiko thought, a smile trying to form on his lips. He looked back at Kaoru. "I suppose Hi- _Shishou_ is a bad influence on me. As for the gi--" he paused, briefly, deciding what to tell her. "I'm sorry, Kam- Kaoru-dono. It was ruined during a sparring match. Shishou cut it to shreds," Hiko explained, smiling in what he hoped was an apologetic manner.

Kenshin resisted the urge to glare at Hiko, keeping his emotionless mask in place. _Sure, go ahead and blame everything on me. Even in my body, he still acts the same,_ Kenshin thought, caustically. _Shishou wouldn't care if she was upset with him, and would probably blame this situation on me, anyway. Actually, that's not a bad idea..._ Kenshin faced Kaoru's glare, smirking. "It's not my fault my _baka deshi_ has abysmal skills with a sword. I was holding back, and he still couldn't manage a proper defense," Kenshin said, somehow managing to hold his laughter in check as he read the affect of his statement in Hiko's ki.

Although his anger flared at Kenshin's comment, Hiko's face was carefully expressionless. "Yes, that is why I have decided to stay here for a while longer, so my _Shishou_ can retrain me," Hiko said, biting out the words as if they caused him pain. He could sense Kenshin's amusement at his expense, and it only served to further his irritation. He stepped away from Kaoru and toward the hut, intent on giving his deshi an earful after Kaoru left. Kenshin's now deep voice stopped him.

"You haven't improved all week, and I don't wish to waste my time and effort with more useless training. I think it's time you headed back to Tokyo," Kenshin said, turning his back on his master. His mouth twitched as he tried not to laugh. There was so much rage in Hiko's ki that Kenshin was almost surprised he hadn't drawn his sword.

Kaoru, not sure what to make of the exchange between master and deshi, remained quiet until Hiko turned to go inside his house. She put her hand on Kenshin's bare shoulder. "Come on, it's already too late to leave today. We can stay with Misao and the others at the Aoiya tonight."

Hiko ignored Kaoru's hand, mentally cursing Kenshin. _You are NOT going to leave me alone with your friends!_ he thought, staring hard at Kenshin's back. When he spoke, his voice was tight and controlled. "Why don't you come with us, _Shishou_?"

Kaoru jumped on the idea. "Yes! Come with us to Tokyo, and stay at the dojo for a while! You can meet all of Kenshin's friends!"

Kenshin suppressed a snort. _Like Shishou would be interested in doing that,_ he thought, sarcastically. While he had no intention of leaving Hiko alone with his friends, it was gratifying to see his master squirm. He turned around, pretending to consider it, and was met with an amber glare. _I'll have to talk to Shishou about that. It's a good thing Kaoru is standing behind him, and can't see his eyes,_ Kenshin thought. His friends would react very irrationally if they saw him with amber eyes again.

_I hope you're enjoying everything while it lasts, because I WILL get you back for this!_ Hiko mentally raged, grinding his teeth in frustration. "Yes, _Shishou,_ I would like you to meet all of my friends."

Feeling Hiko's ki, Kenshin decided that he'd had enough fun-- for now. "I suppose I am quite a hermit. Getting out and interacting with other people might actually be good for me."

Another spike of fury sent Kenshin practically running to the house. It simply would not do to have the thirteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu succumb to an uncontrolled fit of laughter in the presence of others. He had to uphold his master's reputation, after all. As it was, Hiko's sharp hearing caught his deshi's barely controlled mirth from inside the house. _Just wait until I get my body back, Kenshin..._ Hiko's thoughts trailed off, as he contemplated the best ways to exact his revenge.

Kaoru's voice broke through his plotting. "Kenshin? Don't you need to get your things, as well?"

Without a word, Hiko entered the house to collect Kenshin's things.

Kaoru, not sure what to do, took a seat on the log in front of the kiln, and waited. _Kenshin seemed upset that his master is coming with us. But, why would Kenshin invite him if he didn't want Hiko to come? Perhaps he was just upset because Hiko refused to retrain him? But, that doesn't sound like Kenshin at all,_ Kaoru mused.

Her eyes landed on the saucer Hiko had been drinking out of. _Of course, I've never had to deal with Kenshin when he's been drinking. I'm probably worried over nothing,_ she concluded. She sat back, and waited for the swordsman to come outside. Her thoughts wandered to the red head's bare chest, and she almost felt bad for taking his blue gi.

Several months ago, when Kenshin had finally returned to Tokyo after the Shishio affair, he'd been wearing a blue gi. Although he looked good in blue, Kaoru had always preferred him in magenta. It just didn't seem right to see Kenshin in anything other than magenta. It took awhile to scrounge up the money, but she had finally bought him a new gi right before they left to come to Kyoto. Kenshin started making excuses not to wear it. So, when they reached Kyoto, Kaoru had snuck into his room in the Aoiya while he was asleep and taken his blue gi. Having nothing else to wear, Kenshin had been forced to don the magenta gi before he left to stay with Hiko. Kaoru had regretted doing that as she watched Kenshin walk down the road, memories of the last time he'd left wearing that color of gi coming unbidden to her mind. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts, as Kenshin and Hiko exited the hut.

"I told you, we'll stop by the closest clothing shop and pick up a new gi. Yours are too big for me-- I'd look ridiculous," Hiko said, annoyed. He wasn't going to let Kenshin embarrass him any further.

"That may be, but at least you'd be decently dressed," Kenshin argued.

Kaoru decided to step in. "Hiko-san, Kenshin's right. He really would look silly in your clothes. I'm sure we can find a clothing shop on this side of Kyoto," Kaoru said.

Kenshin looked at Kaoru. _Did she just say... that she doesn't mind walking around with my body in public, when I'm half naked?!_ Kenshin thought, scandalized. He shook his head, brushing past Hiko. "Do what you will."

They all began walking down the mountain path. After a few minutes, Hiko was confused. He had caught Kaoru staring at him several times. _I may not have a gi on, but this is Kenshin's body. She must not get to see a real man very often if she's so interested in my baka deshi,_ Hiko thought, derisively. He looked up and caught Kaoru staring at him again. _What is she looking at?! My perfect body is up there!_ Hiko thought, looking at Kenshin's back. Glancing back to the side, he met Kaoru's eyes again, as she hurriedly looked away from the side of his exposed hip. He sighed. _This is going to be a long trip._

. . .

After reaching Kyoto, they entered the first clothing shop they saw. While Hiko was used to garnering a lot of attention, it was a little different when one was fully dressed. The master swordsman hadn't thought twice about strolling through Kyoto gi-less. Compared to him, Kenshin's body was downright scrawny. Who would pay attention to some skinny nobody walking next to a well-defined body like Hiko's? Everyone, apparently.

Arms crossed tightly over his chest as much to ward off the cold as to help hide his nudity, Hiko quickly entered the shop. He grumbled to himself, feeling amusement radiating off Kenshin in waves. He walked over and started looking through the clothing, trying to find a gi in Kenshin's size that he was willing to wear in public. Kaoru and Kenshin walked to different areas and began searching, as well.

Feeling Kenshin's ki spike in amusement, Hiko glanced towards his deshi. Kenshin was looking at a magenta gi that was large enough to fit Hiko's body. Seeing his master's glance, Kenshin held it up to himself, looking at Hiko as if to ask 'What do you think?' Too shocked by the knowledge that he couldn't stop Kenshin from buying or wearing the hideous garment, Hiko could only stare in horror.

Chuckling at Hiko's reaction, Kenshin placed the gi back with the others, only to pick up a smaller gi of the same color. This one was small enough to fit the red head's small frame. His eyes widening slightly, Kenshin quickly hid it amongst the other clothing, darting a quick glance at Kaoru to see if she had seen it. She hadn't, and Kenshin breathed a silent sigh of relief. _Shishou was kind enough to get rid of the last one for me. It was my poor fortune to end up with a gi of that color in the first place, and now Kaoru thinks I shouldn't wear anything else._

Hiko's anger flared as he watched his deshi. It was obvious that Kenshin did not like the color, and was only trying to annoy his master. It was working. _Kenshin, you know I have a very long memory. I will make sure that all the pain you cause me until this situation has been resolved comes back upon you ten fold!_ Hiko vowed, silently. He glanced over to see if Kaoru had found any acceptable choices.

Kaoru was holding an orange gi decorated with what appeared to be yellow flowers in one hand, and a brown gi with blue stripes in the other. She looked as though she were trying to decide which one to get.

Shaking his head, Hiko continued looking for a suitable gi. _It doesn't matter which one she picks, because I won't wear either of them,_ he thought. He paused as a realization struck him. _Judging by what I've seen so far, I highly doubt Kenshin would disagree with Kaoru's choice. And if I have to convince her that I'm Kenshin..._ Hiko continued searching for a gi with renewed vigor. He _had_ to find one before Kaoru made her choice.

Seeing Kaoru's choices and sensing his master's near desperation, Kenshin walked over to him, gi in hand. "Would this please you?" he asked, quietly. It was a simple black gi made of heavy but soft material, and trimmed with silver.

His anger towards his deshi faded ever-so-slightly as Hiko took the gi, discreetly retrieving his wallet from Kenshin's pocket. He paid for the item, going into the dressing room to change.

Kaoru was a little sad that Kenshin chose and bought the gi before she could show him the one she liked. _I wished he would have asked me. He would have looked nice in the orange one..._ Kaoru's thoughts trailed off as Kenshin emerged from the dressing room in a black gi. His pale features and already vivid hair were accented by the dark cloth, and Kaoru's breath caught in her throat. _On second thought, I suppose I don't mind that much,_ she thought, unable to tear her eyes away from him.

Hiko noticed her unwanted attention, and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _Is that all she does all day-- just stare at Kenshin? I have a gi on, what is she staring at now?_ he thought, annoyed. He couldn't see why Kaoru was so interested in Kenshin's body.

The sun was starting to disappear below the horizon as the trio exited the clothing shop, and headed toward the Aoiya.

. . .

Okina was sweeping the porch outside the Aoiya. Hearing several people approach, he looked up. "Ah, hello, Himura-kun, Kaoru-chan. I thought you were heading back to Tokyo today. Oh, Hiko-san, I didn't see you," Okina said, bowing to the tall swordsman.

"Actually, Okina-san, Kenshin invited his master to come visit the dojo, and it was too late to start traveling, so..." Kaoru said, trailing off.

Okina nodded. "I see. You're all welcome to spend the night here," he said, leading them inside, and showing them to their rooms.

Upon entering his room, Kenshin threw his bag filled with Hiko's clothes in the corner before shrugging out of the mantle. _That thing's HOT! I don't see how Shishou can stand to wear it all the time,_ Kenshin thought, placing the mantle with his other things. Exiting his room, he went back downstairs with Hiko and Kaoru to join Okina and the others for dinner.

Hiko raised an eyebrow when he saw Kenshin had taken off the mantle, but he didn't say anything.

A few minutes into the meal, Kenshin left the dining hall and headed back to his room. While eating, he had become quite conscious of how form-fitting Hiko's gi was. This was due largely in part to Omasu and Okon, who were unable to keep from staring at him.

Hiko was more than a little curious as to why Kenshin left the table so abruptly. However, he chuckled silently as Kenshin reentered the dining hall wearing the mantle, the cloak clutched almost protectively over his chest.

Kenshin felt Hiko's amusement in his ki, and shot a glare in his direction. _I don't see what's so funny. He didn't like it when people were staring at him, either!_ Kenshin thought, sitting down to finish his meal. He noticed Omasu and Okon seemed content to stare at him, with or without the mantle. He sighed. _This is going to be a long night._

After dinner, Omasu and Okon cleaned up the dishes, while Kaoru and Misao talked on the porch. The men were still in the dining hall, drinking.

Okina, Kenshin, Hiko, Shiro and Kuro were talking while drinking sake. Aoshi sat a little ways away from them, sipping his tea.

Letting his eyes close, Aoshi followed the conversation, idly identifying the speaker by voice and ki. He wasn't really paying attention to what was being said, and the exercise was quite relaxing...until the voice didn't match the ki.

Opening his eyes, Aoshi looked at the speaker. Himura was talking, but his ki was wrong. Closing his eyes again, Aoshi located Kenshin's ki. It was partially masked, making it a little more difficult to pinpoint, but not impossible. Finding it, Aoshi opened his eyes and found himself staring at Hiko. His eyes narrowed slightly in confusion, as he looked back and forth between the two Hiten Mitsurugi masters.

Kenshin, noticing Aoshi's looks, completely masked his ki, willing his master to do the same, but already knowing it was too late. He hoped Aoshi wouldn't say anything about it.

Aoshi was wondering how Kenshin and Hiko had switched bodies and why they didn't tell anyone, when he noticed Kenshin's ki disappear completely. It all clicked together in his mind. _Ah, I see. Hiko-- actually, Himura in Hiko's body --masked his ki, so I wouldn't be able to tell it was him. This must be an advanced training technique. Somehow, they switch bodies and try to live the other's life, without alerting any of those closest to them. That would be excellent training to help one learn to adapt to any given circumstances,_ Aoshi thought. Satisfied that he had figured it out, he continued sipping his tea.

Not sure why Aoshi's ki was no longer confused, Kenshin kept his ki masked. He knew Aoshi had figured it out, but had apparently been able to come up with a plausible explanation for it. Not having the faintest idea as to what could have gone through the ex-okashira's mind, Kenshin made a mental note to talk to Hiko about masking his ki later. Mentally grimacing, Kenshin decided to leave out the part about Aoshi. Hiko would be outraged to know that someone had found out, even if it was his fault.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	4. Fight

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

**Chapter 4**

Late the next morning Okina, Misao, Okon and Omasu stood on the porch outside of the Aoiya. All three girls were waving energetically at the trio walking away from them down the street. Kaoru waved to them over her shoulder, while Kenshin and Hiko continued on without a backward glance, much to the disappointment of Omasu and Okon.

Making a quick stop to pick up supplies, the group began their journey to Tokyo. Kenshin and Hiko allowed Kaoru to set the pace. However, Kenshin kept a close eye on her ki and nudged Hiko whenever she got tired, reminding him to suggest they take a break.

They stopped around dusk, setting up camp in a clearing by a stream. Being hampered by her kimono, Kaoru had set a slow pace. Hiko didn't think they had traveled even thirty miles from Kyoto.

After dinner, Kaoru slept near the fire while Kenshin and Hiko, in an unspoken agreement, slept on opposite sides of the clearing, setting up a perimeter. Either Kenshin or Hiko would awaken if anything came too close to their camp.

. . .

Kenshin woke up, sensing hostile ki nearby. He opened his eyes and glanced at Hiko, who was also awake. Their eyes met, and they stood. Quickly, but quietly, Kenshin walked towards his master, casting a quick glance at Kaoru. She was still fast asleep.

"We need to determine whether they present a threat to us, but I don't want to leave Kaoru vulnerable," Kenshin said, quietly. _And I'm not going to let you go alone. I can't tell how many people are out there, and you haven't fought in my body before,_ he added, silently.

Hiko seemed to agree that they should both investigate the ki. "If you don't want her vulnerable, then wake her up and tell her to stay here. She can protect herself with her bokken, if need be," he replied, softly, nodding in Kaoru's direction.

Kenshin shook his head. "It's not that simple. She'll insist on coming with us," he said, keeping his voice low. He glanced back at Kaoru to make sure she was still asleep.

"And I suppose you can't tell her 'no,' can you?" Hiko sighed. "She's a liability. I think that was proven quite thoroughly when those pirates attacked you. Had she not been there, you would have been able to fight freely, and you would not have been taken prisoner."

Kenshin remained silent. He knew Hiko was right and, since he was currently in Hiko's body, he would have to be the one to point this out. He nodded, motioning for Hiko to wake Kaoru.

After she was awake and somewhat coherent, Hiko explained the situation to her. "Kam-- Kaoru-dono, I sensed a group of people with hostile ki not too far from here. Shishou and I are going to investigate, and I want you to stay here," he said, his tone serious.

Kaoru immediately shook her head. "You're not leaving me behind, Kenshin," she said, in a matter of fact tone.

Hiko tried again, thinking of arguments Kenshin would be likely to use. "It might be dangerous. I would rather you stay here, where you won't get hurt."

"I'm not some fragile little girl you need to protect, Kenshin! Don't forget that I'm the assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo. I can help you!" she said.

"Hmph." The noise brought Kaoru's attention to Kenshin. "If this turns out to be something that two Hiten Mitsurugi masters can't handle, I very much doubt there would be anything you could do," he said, trying hard to sound like Hiko. He didn't want to insult her kendo skills, but he'd rather she be out of harm's way.

Kaoru stared at him for a few seconds before lowering her head in defeat. Kenshin was surprised she gave in so easily; apparently, Kaoru was disinclined to argue with Hiko.

That having been decided, Kenshin and Hiko slipped into the forest and disappeared. As soon as Kaoru was out of sight, they switched swords and quickly followed the ki to its source. Kenshin cringed mentally at the amount of noise he made. Although Hiko's body could move very quietly, considering his size; any sound was too much, in Kenshin's opinion. They slowed their approach as voices became audible.

"Those things are dangerous! Well trained? Yeah, right. If your dogs are so well trained, then why did one bite Namboku?" one voice said, making itself heard above the others.

"He wouldn't have bitten him if he hadn't kicked him! It's his own fault," someone replied. Most of his companions disagreed with him.

"Come off it, Ryuichi! None of the yakuza gangs in Kyoto are going to allow us to join if we have dogs that attack their masters!"

"Yeah, and then we'd have walked all the way from Iakayama for nothing. Get rid of the dogs!"

"The gangs in Iakayama were weak. One puny swordsman was able to defeat both of them by himself! If I'd had my dogs with me, they would have torn that guy apart!" Ryuichi said, defensively.

Not really following the conversation, Kenshin noted that there were about ten people in all. Their hostility seemed to be directed at each other; so, if they were careful, they could avoid the larger group all together. Satisfied, Kenshin turned to Hiko, when one of the dogs started barking.

Immediately, everyone's attention was focused on what the canine was barking at. Kenshin cursed his rotten luck. Apparently, the dog had caught their scent. Not seeing a reason to hide any longer, Kenshin and Hiko emerged from the bushes.

Intent on proving his dogs' worth, Ryuichi released them, ordering them to attack.

Hiko tensed, gripping the wooden hilt tightly as he prepared to draw his katana. He started as he felt a strong wave of intimidating ki from Kenshin. _What is that idiot doing?! That attack has no effect on dogs-- oh._ Hiko stared as the dogs turned tail and ran, yipping, away from them and into the forest. He turned his head slightly to look at Kenshin without taking his eyes off of his opponents.

Ryuichi watched his dogs leave, confused as to what had spooked them so badly. He turned back to face the intruders, and got a good look at them. He had never seen the tall one, but the short one looked pretty familiar. _I don't believe it-- it's him! That's the guy who beat us in Iakayama!_ "Not you, again!" he yelled, following his dogs' example and running as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

Hiko stared after the retreating figure's back. "Friend of yours?"

"Not one that I remember," Kenshin replied, looking a little confused.

"Well, what are you idiots waiting for?! Take them out!" one of the men yelled. In a disorganized mass, the group attacked.

Kenshin and Hiko immediately split up, each taking one half of the group. Hiko, thinking this would be an easy fight, rushed towards the men, drawing his katana. The weapon felt alien to his hand, too long for him and too heavy for his weaker muscles. Mentally trying to compensate for the difference, he made his first mistake when he crossed blades with one opponent and almost lost his sword. _My style of fighting is based on strength-- Kenshin's is not. I have to remember that!_ Hiko thought, berating himself. His only comfort was knowing that Kenshin was facing similar problems.

On his side of the battle, Kenshin found his sakabato considerably easier to wield, although it was obviously too short for the length of Hiko's arms. This was relatively easy to work around, however, and Kenshin did so. His problems were coming from controlling Hiko's strength.

After almost losing his sword, Hiko decided a change in tactics was in order. Although he could match his opponents in strength, he was unable to overpower them. So, instead of plowing through them, as he normally did, he would just have to strike before they could react. Speed was Kenshin's specialty, after all.

Sinking into a battoujutsu stance, Kenshin ran forward, unsheathing his sword and taking down four men. He flinched mentally when he heard the crunch of ribs snapping under the force of his blade. He hadn't meant to break any bones with that attack, so it would be easier for the men to make it back to town.

Rushing forward, Hiko darted in and around them, his sword flashing in the moonlight as he decapitated two men. His katana was awkward to wield, however, his attacks much slower than they should have been. Movement caught his attention, and a thrill of fear ran through Hiko as he realized he wouldn't be able to block the sword in time. However, he hadn't taken into account how swiftly Kenshin's body would respond to his need to avoid the oncoming blade, and he jumped back, the sword slicing through a few trailing strands of hair. _That was a close one. I never much cared for a style of fighting based on speed, but it does have its advantages!_ Hiko thought, cutting diagonally through this attacker's chest.

Seeing a blade from the corner of his eye, Kenshin reflexively brought his sakabato up to counter the blow. Expecting to lock blades, Kenshin was momentarily thrown off-balance as Hiko's superior strength sent the man flying backwards. Kenshin recovered quickly, only to see his assailant's foot flying towards him. He jumped back, but Hiko's body was slightly slower than his, and the foot connected hard with the side of his left knee. Kenshin staggered, feeling as though someone had shoved a red-hot poker through his knee. Biting back a cry of pain, Kenshin brought his sakabato down against his assailant's shoulder hard, the audible crunch of the bones being broken drowned out by the man's scream.

Hiko turned to the last man, when pain shot through his left knee. He gasped at the unexpected agony, going down on his right knee while reflexively clutching the other one.

Seeing an opening, the man ran forward to take advantage of Hiko's vulnerable state.

Blocking the pain from his mind, Hiko pushed himself forward, raising his katana and allowing the man's forward momentum to impale himself on the sword. He pulled his weapon free as the man fell to the side.

Hiko paused, drawing a deep breath, before pushing himself painfully to his feet. Using his katana to support himself, Hiko rubbed his aching knee thoughtfully. _No one touched me, yet my knee is causing me pain. Why...?_

Kenshin limped over to Hiko, noticeably favoring his left knee. Hiko's eyes narrowed slightly. "Kenshin, you weren't hit on your left knee, were you?" he asked.

Kenshin rolled his eyes. _As if it wasn't obvious from how I'm walking,_ he thought, sarcastically. "Yes, Shishou, I was kicked there," he replied.

Hiko paused, considering something. _He was injured, and I was not, yet we both feel it. But that's not possible... Of course, it's not possible to switch bodies, either. Lovely._ "Baka deshi," Hiko muttered, still rubbing his knee. "You have my well trained body at your disposal. The least you could do is not get injured."

"There's no permanent damage," Kenshin said, defensively. He noticed Hiko rubbing his knee. "Besides, it appears you were hurt, as well."

"No, I wasn't. Apparently, I'm blessed by being able to feel the pain of _**your**_ injuries," Hiko explained, glaring.

Kenshin blinked. "Oro?!" He thought back over the past two days. "I suppose that's fair," he said, after a minute.

"What?!"

"It's fair that you get to share my pain. After all, I had to experience your hangover. Not all of those symptoms were from sake withdrawal," Kenshin said, a little dryly.

Ignoring his deshi, Hiko leaned down, wiping the blood off his sword on the gi of his last attacker. He sheathed the weapon, casting his senses out as he searched for any other men in the area. Not finding any, he handed the sword to Kenshin. "We'd better get back, before that Kamiya girl comes looking for you."

Kenshin accepted the weapon, giving up his sakabato in exchange. Turning, they walked back to their camp.

. . .

Having heard screams, Kaoru was worriedly pacing by the fire. She had supreme confidence in Kenshin's abilities and Hiko had to be just as skilled to have taught Kenshin. Still, it had been quiet for a while, and they had yet to return. She stopped pacing and stared into the fire, her mind going through all the horrible things that could have happened. She screamed when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Whipping around, bokken ready, she came face to face with-- Kenshin and Hiko.

"Kenshin! Don't sneak up on me like that!" she yelled, embarrassed at having been caught off-guard. Her eyes widened as she noticed all the blood on Kenshin's clothes. "Kenshin! Are you alright?!" she asked, looking for wounds.

"I'm uninjured," Hiko replied. "None of this blood is mine."

"But, how did you get so much on you? Kenshin, you didn't break your vow-- did you?" Kaoru asked, her voice soft.

"No, I did not break my vow. Shishou, on the other hand, has taken no such vow," Hiko replied.

Kaoru's eyes shifted to Hiko. "But, there's not a drop of blood on you."

Kenshin smiled. "It depends on where you stand. My baka deshi just couldn't seem to stay out of the way," he explained. His smile grew a little wider as he felt Hiko's anger spike.

Hiko turned around, facing Kenshin with his back towards Kaoru. "At least I wasn't the one that got hit, _Shishou,_" he retorted.

"Yes, my agility isn't what it used to be. I must be getting slow in my old age."

Hiko glared at Kenshin, his eyes amber. Kenshin smirked, but his face became serious as he noticed the color of Hiko's eyes. _I can't believe I forgot to talk to him about that!_ Kenshin thought, scolding himself. "Well, I've had enough excitement for one night. I'm going back to bed," he said, walking over to the tree he was sleeping against earlier. He was relieved to see Hiko walk to the other side of the clearing before Kaoru noticed the change in eye color.

Grabbing Kenshin's travel bag, Hiko disappeared into the trees briefly before reemerging in a clean gi and hakama. He took his position by a tree and glared at Kenshin, his eyes back to violet.

Removing the katana from his obi, Kenshin leaned back against the trunk, closing his eyes and allowing his body to relax. The fight played itself out in his mind again. _That was pitiful. I've limited the amount of strength I use before, that's not a problem. However, Hiko's speed is another matter altogether. I'm not sure I can adjust to not being as fast as before. I suppose I'll have to start retraining this body in the morning._ Having come to that conclusion, Kenshin allowed his mind to drift off to sleep.

. . .

Hiko awoke in the pre-dawn gloom, shivering. He noticed his gi and hakama had been cleaned and were drying by the fire, but Kenshin was nowhere to be seen. Kaoru was still asleep.

Hiko shivered again, wondering why he was so cold. He felt Kenshin's ki upstream a little ways, and remembered that he could feel everything Kenshin could. Grumbling to himself, he went in search of his deshi.

After a few minutes of walking, Hiko saw Kenshin. He was standing waist deep in the water, the katana held out in front of him. Most of his clothes were on the shore so they wouldn't get wet, and his harsh breathing indicated that he'd been here for a while. He paused in his training as Hiko approached.

"What are you doing?! Get out of that river this instant! It's freezing out here! Are you trying to kill me?!" Hiko demanded.

Kenshin blinked. "I'm not cold," he said.

Hiko glared at him. "How can you possibly not be cold?!"

"I'm using my ki to warm myself," Kenshin replied, simply. Hiko stared at Kenshin as if he'd grown another head. Muttering to himself, Hiko turned and walked back towards their camp. Kenshin smiled as he felt Hiko experimenting with his ki. _I've tried so many times to surprise Hiko. Looks like I've finally managed to do just that,_ Kenshin thought, continuing his training.

. . .

After breakfast, they continued traveling. They took a break around midmorning, and Hiko made his move. Excusing himself, he walked towards the trees, brushing by Kenshin, and discreetly slipped his hand underneath the mantle.

Kenshin's eyes widened as he realized what Hiko was doing. He tried to stop his master's wandering hand, but it was too late.

Kaoru watched Kenshin's retreating form, oblivious to what had just happened.

Hiko smiled to himself as he disappeared into the trees, sake jug clutched tightly in his hands.

It was several minutes before Hiko returned. He had a relaxed smile on his face, and quickly pushed the sake jug into Kenshin's hands as Kaoru turned to face him. "Are you ready to continue, Kaoru-dono?" he asked, amiably.

Kaoru smiled. "Of course, Kenshin," she replied, rising to her feet.

Kenshin hefted the jug experimentally, frowning. _Shishou drank half of the sake!_ Kenshin thought, dismayed, staring at his master's retreating back. _I need to talk to him, and soon._

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	5. Travel

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

**Chapter 5**

Kenshin, Kaoru and Hiko stopped by a stream for lunch. While Kaoru soaked her feet in the cool water, Kenshin pulled Hiko aside for a discussion.

Far enough away to be out of earshot, but still within sight, Kenshin stopped and turned to Hiko. "There are a few ground rules that need be established, Shishou," Kenshin said, sternly.

Hiko looked amused. "And now my deshi thinks to lecture me?"

"I'm serious, Shishou! First, you need to keep your eyes violet."

"What? I haven't changed the color-- I don't even know how to do that!"

"You need to control your anger better. Every time you become upset, your eyes change to amber. We've been lucky so far that Kaoru hasn't noticed, but once we reach Tokyo I wouldn't count on our luck holding out. Someone is bound to see, and everyone will assume that _I_ have reverted to Battousai."

_So, the eyes become amber when I get upset, huh. Lovely. I didn't even realize I could change their color! Given how much Kenshin has been enjoying tormenting me, I'm going to need to curb my anger very often, indeed. Baka deshi,_ Hiko thought, looking annoyed. "You really have problems, don't you?"

"Just control your temper."

"Alright, fine," Hiko said, grudgingly.

"You also need to limit the amount of sake you drink."

"What?! Why?!"

"Because I don't drink sake very often--" Kenshin started.

"That's your choice, not mine. You can't tell me how much sake I can drink!" Hiko interrupted.

"It isn't a problem if you drink sake, but it becomes one when you drink half of a jug in a matter of minutes! You can either limit yourself, or I will do it for you by pouring out all the sake before we continue traveling," Kenshin replied, crossing his arms.

Hiko looked at Kenshin, gauging how serious the threat was. "You wouldn't do that. You need the sake more than I do."

"I'm willing to go without. Are you?" Kenshin returned, evenly.

_Blasted baka deshi! Not only does he have the willpower to go through with the threat, but I'd get to suffer through his sake withdrawal with him!_ "Pour it out, if you want. We should reach Tsurugo tonight, and I can buy more."

"Shishou, I will break each and every single sake jug you buy, if I have to! All you need to do is limit the amount you drink-- it that really too much to ask?" Kenshin demanded, a little exasperation filtering into his voice. _Why does Shishou always have to be so difficult?! After all, he's the one that doesn't want anyone to know we switched bodies! It's a good thing I never threw tantrums like that. It really does look ridiculous. Although, I've never seen Hiko act this way-- it's a little unnerving._

Kaoru turned, looking to see where Kenshin and Hiko were. She spotted them standing a little ways away, apparently arguing about something. Hiko was standing tall and impassive, his arms folded across his chest as he stared down at his deshi. Kenshin was in front of Hiko with his back to Kaoru. He was standing on his tiptoes, appearing to be trying to argue with Hiko eye to eye. His arms were gesturing sharply as he argued, apparently upset by whatever his master had told him. Kaoru sympathized with the redhead.

Hiko glared Kenshin, hating the fact that he could do nothing except follow the rules set down by his deshi. "Fine, I'll cut back on how much I drink," Hiko conceded. He agreed to Kenshin's terms, but he didn't have to like them.

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "Remember to control your temper. Your eyes are amber."

Cursing mentally, Hiko closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath. He opened them, and looked at Kenshin. "Is that better?"

Kenshin nodded his head once. "Yes."

"Good." Ending their discussion, Hiko walked towards his pack, and began eating lunch. _Blasted baka deshi. We wouldn't be having these problems if he had only done like I asked and stayed on my mountain. However, now we get to go to Tokyo, and try and convince his friends that I'm him. Two days out of Kyoto, and look at all the problems we're having so far! Kenshin, for once in your life, couldn't you have just agreed to stay on my mountain?!_ Hiko silently fumed. Kaoru tried to catch his eye, but he ignored her.

. . .

The rest of the day passed without incident. They continued walking after the sun disappeared below the horizon, the promise of a hot bath incentive enough to spur them on. About an hour after sunset, they arrived in Tsurugo and found a small inn close to the edge of town to stay at for the night.

The next morning, Kenshin got up early to train, coming back to the inn when the sun rose.

Hiko was up when he got back. He smirked as Kenshin entered the room they shared. _Apparently, my body isn't easy for you to control. You've gone out every morning to retrain yourself so you can fight decently. At least you can see you have a problem and are working to correct it._

They got an early start, stopping only long enough to pick up some supplies before heading out of town. Kaoru seemed to have gotten used to traveling in her kimono, and they made it to Ontako in a little over a day and a half.

They had finished purchasing their supplies and were about to start looking for an inn when Kenshin heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Kenshin!"

Turning, Kenshin saw Tsuya waving to Hiko, and fighting her way through the crowd towards him. Kaoru was walking a few feet ahead of them, so Kenshin grabbed Hiko's arm and spoke softly. "Shishou, that woman coming towards us knows me. Her name is Hatayama Tsuya and she runs an inn in town. She took care of me a few months ago when I was sick, and I escorted her sister, Nariko, here from Tsurugo with her little dog, Youji. She doesn't know me very well," Kenshin said, quickly informing Hiko about Tsuya.

Hiko nodded slightly to show he understood. He turned to Tsuya as she approached. "Hello, Tsuya-dono," he greeted her, warmly.

Tsuya stopped in front of Hiko, putting her hands on her hips. "Kenshin, how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Tsuya, I feel like an old woman when you add the 'dono,'" she said, laughing heartily.

Hiko glared at Kenshin. _Why didn't the baka tell me that?!_ "Sorry, Tsuya," he said, smiling in what he hoped was a friendly manner.

"Who's this, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, walking towards them. She had backtracked when she realized they were no longer following her.

"Kaoru-dono, this is Hatayama Tsuya. Tsuya, Kamiya Kaoru," Hiko said, making introductions.

"Hello, Tsuya. So, how did you meet Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.

Tsuya laughed at the memory. "He appeared on my doorstep in the middle of a storm a few months back, soaking wet, asking for directions to the police station. He said he had to report an attack of some bandits outside of town. He looked terrible, but insisted that he had to inform the police. I sent my son to deliver the message, and made Kenshin stay. He kept saying he didn't want to inconvenience me, and he didn't deserve my help. It's a good thing I didn't let him go-- he got sick and had to stay in bed all the next day."

Kaoru smiled. "That sounds like our Kenshin, alright. He'll run himself ragged helping everyone else, while completely ignoring his own needs. He can be such a baka, sometimes," Kaoru said.

Aware that they were talking about him as if he wasn't there, Tsuya turned back to Hiko. "So, Kenshin, who is this tall, dark and handsome stranger behind you?" she asked, making no attempt to hide her appraisal of the ebony-haired man's body.

"This is Hiko Seijiro XIII-- my master," Hiko replied, smiling as he noticed Kenshin fidgeting under Tsuya's shameless ogling.

Kenshin nodded in greeting, trying to draw his cloak around himself inconspicuously.

"So, where are you headed this time?" Tsuya asked, turning back to Hiko.

Kaoru spoke up before he could answer. "We're on our way back to Tokyo. We were just going to start looking for an inn."

"Well, why don't you spend the night at my inn? I'm sure there are a few rooms available," Tsuya said.

"You run an inn? That's wonderful! Kenshin, why didn't you mention it before?" Kaoru asked, turning to look at the red head.

Hiko blinked as both women waited for an answer. "I, uh..." _'I didn't know about it' just doesn't seem like the right answer to give._

"Kenshin, you weren't planning on staying at someone else's inn, and avoiding me altogether, were you? Are you really that upset that I wouldn't let you pay last time?"

_I can't believe I'm going to do this, but it always works for Kenshin..._"Uh... Oro?"

Tsuya laughed at the clueless expression on Hiko's face. "I can't blame you for not wanting to see Nariko again, but don't worry. She spends most of her time in her room, so she won't bother you. Well, it's getting late. Shall we?" she asked, walking towards her inn. They followed her down the road.

Upon reaching the inn, Tsuya showed them to their rooms. "I have to go help in the kitchens, but I'm sure Kenshin can show you where the bath rooms are located. Dinner should be ready in a little while," she said, excusing herself.

Putting their belongings in their rooms, they went in search of the bath rooms, Kenshin subtly giving Hiko directions. Kaoru took one bath room, while Kenshin and Hiko shared the other.

After they were done, they went to the dining hall and enjoyed a hot meal after two days of traveling food. Tsuya was busy with the other customers and didn't have time to talk, so Kaoru went up to her room while Kenshin and Hiko enjoyed some sake.

His eyes closed as he enjoyed the sake, Hiko didn't notice as a small dog came up behind him, sniffing his leg. Almost immediately, the little dog scampered over to Kenshin, sniffing the sheathed katana at his side.

The dog, deciding the wooden hilt would make a good chew toy, clamped his teeth around it.

Hiko's eyes snapped open as he felt a strong wave of intimidating ki from Kenshin and saw the little dog running away from the tall swordsman as fast as he could. "You really don't like dogs, do you?" he asked.

Kenshin remained silent, sipping his sake. _Stupid dog._

. . .

They left the inn early the next morning. Tsuya was sorry to see them leave, but Kaoru was eager to get back to Tokyo.

About halfway between Ontako and Kofu, they were caught in a rain storm. Hiko's mantle kept Kenshin from getting too wet, but Hiko and Kaoru were both soaked. As soon as it let up, Kaoru called a break while she went into the bushes and changed into some dryer clothes. Hiko, using his ki to warm himself, wasn't bothered by the damp garments and decided not to change. Kenshin raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

The weather held, and they made it to Kofu without any mishaps, and continued on to Tokyo. Kenshin had been keeping an eye on Hiko, and noticed he was getting sick. The red head seemed a little more tired than he should have been, was a bit grumpier than usual, and had developed a slight cough. He did well at hiding it from Kaoru, but Kenshin wasn't nearly so easy to fool.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	6. Sick

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

**Chapter 6**

The entire trip from Kyoto to Tokyo took nine days. The evening of the ninth day found the trio walking down the streets of Tokyo, heading towards the dojo.

"I know we probably should stop by the clinic and let everyone know we're back, but we can let them know tomorrow. Right now, all I want to do is take a nice hot bath and go to bed," Kaoru said, starting to drag her feet a little as she walked.

Hiko agreed with her, silently. Although he would deny it vehemently, he knew he was sick. He had felt sluggish and weak the past few days and had actually found himself wishing Kaoru would set a slower pace and suggesting breaks a little more often. His throat was sore and he had developed a bit of a cough over the past day, accompanied by a headache. He had done well at hiding it from Kaoru, but he was surprised Kenshin hadn't said anything. _Of course,_ Hiko mused, _Kenshin would know that bringing the subject up would not have changed anything. I would have denied being sick and it isn't too serious anyway. It's best to just let the illness run its course._

Upon reaching the dojo, Hiko sensed the ki of several people inside, but Kenshin didn't seem worried about it, so he assumed they were Kenshin's friends. Kaoru opened the gate, and they all stepped inside.

Across the courtyard, two little girls were playing a game, drawing in the dirt. They looked up when the gate opened and dropped what they were doing, running towards Hiko. "Ken-nii-san! Ken-nii-san!"

Hiko watched them run over. His eyes widened slightly in surprise as they both attached themselves to his legs. The smaller one stepped back, holding her arms up towards him. Hiko looked at her in confusion. _The only child I've ever had to deal with was Kenshin when he was younger. What does she want?_

Kenshin discreetly elbowed Hiko in the ribs. "Pick her up," he said, softly enough so that only Hiko could hear him.

Reluctantly, Hiko reached down and hoisted the little girl in his arms. He tried to pull back when the girl threw her arms around his neck, but she held him tight. "Ken-nii-san! We missed you! Wanna play with us?" she asked, hopefully.

"Yeah, we wanna play!" the older one echoed, still gripping his hakama.

Hiko was saved having to answer by the appearance of several other people exiting the dojo.

"Now Ayame-chan, Suzume-chan, Ken-san has been walking all day. I'm sure he's too tired to play with you right now. Although, we were expecting you earlier today," Megumi said, transferring her attention to Hiko.

Kaoru spoke up. "How did you know we would be arriving today?"

"Weasel-girl sent us a letter when you left Kyoto late," Sano said, a fish bone dangling from his mouth. "Although, she didn't say you were bringing your master with you, Kenshin."

Megumi's eyes, which had been studying Kenshin's new body, widened slightly in surprise. "This is your master, Ken-san?" she asked Hiko. _Sano obviously knows him, so I assume that they met when everyone else followed Kenshin to Kyoto, before he fought Shishio..._ Megumi derailed that train of thought before it got any further. After the fight with Shishio they had all believed Kenshin was dead and she didn't need to remember that time period. Noticing Hiko seemed to have his hands full with Ayame and Suzume, she decided to introduce herself. "I'm Takani Megumi," she said to Kenshin, bowing in greeting.

Kenshin started to return the gesture, but realized that Hiko wouldn't bow to anyone. Instead, he nodded his head, acknowledging her. "Hiko Seijiro XIII."

"Alright, they're here. Can we go now?" Yahiko asked, standing on the porch, looking annoyed.

"Go?" Kaoru questioned.

"Yes, Kaoru-chan. We're all having dinner at the Akabeko," Megumi explained.

"But I--" Kaoru started to protest.

"Oh, come on, Jou-chan. The kid's been waiting to go all day," Sano said.

"Who you calling a 'kid?!'" Yahiko yelled, grabbing his shinai, and whacking Sano on the back of the head.

"You little brat! C'mere!" Sano shouted, chasing Yahiko around the courtyard.

"Yahiko, you need to respect your elders, or at least not mouth off to those who are stronger than you. You'd save yourself a lot of grief that way," Kaoru called to her student.

"Why should I, you ugly old hag! Kenshin's the only one who can catch me, so I got nothin' to worry about!"

"Why you little-- Yahiko, you'll learn some respect even if I have to beat it into you!" Kaoru yelled, her exhaustion forgotten as she grabbed her bokken and joined the chase.

Hiko blinked. In a matter of seconds, the dojo had dissolved into chaos. He resisted the urge to massage his temples as their yelling made his headache worse. He hoped that this wasn't a usual event. A soft clearing of a throat drew Hiko's attention towards his deshi.

"I usually play the peacemaker around here," Kenshin hinted, his voice low. He couldn't quite keep the annoyance out of his tone.

_I suppose this is a normal occurrence, after all. And now I get to break them up. Lovely._ "How would you suggest I go about stopping this?" Hiko asked, also keeping his voice quiet. He knew what _he_ would do, but he wasn't sure what Kenshin usually did to regain order.

"Why don't you try saying, 'Maa, maa. If we don't hurry, the Akabeko will close, that it will.' That will stop Yahiko and Sano. And if they stop running around, Kaoru will, as well," Kenshin explained.

Hiko closed his eyes, letting out a deep, heartfelt sigh. _Why me? I don't even feel like eating right now._ "Maa, maa, everyone. If we don't hurry, the Akabeko will close." Kenshin's elbow found its way to Hiko's side, yet again. "That it will," Hiko added, grudgingly.

As predicted, Yahiko and Sano immediately perked up at the thought of food, all previous thoughts of the chase having vanished.

Having almost forgotten Kenshin and the others were present, Kaoru was jolted out of her thoughts of teaching Yahiko some respect. She paused, weighing her options. She could go with everyone to the Akabeko, or she could take a nice hot bath and go to bed. She was quite sore from traveling, and the latter option was much more appealing to her. "I think I'll pass. I'm too tired to go to the Akabeko tonight."

"Oh? You're too tired to enjoy a relaxing meal, yet you have enough energy to chase Yahiko around the dojo?" Megumi asked, her voice slightly sarcastic. She walked over to Hiko. "Oh, well, I suppose that gives Ken-san and I more time to ourselves," she said in a sweet voice, latching onto the arm that wasn't holding Ayame. Hiko, for his part, ignored her.

Immediately, Kaoru was between them, prying Megumi off his arm. "You know what? A relaxing dinner at the Akabeko does sound really nice. Come on, Kenshin. Let's go drop off our things so we can go," Kaoru said, ushering Hiko past Megumi and inside. Kenshin followed, careful to keep his emotionless mask in place. It was much more amusing to see Megumi and Kaoru clash when he wasn't in the middle of it. He discreetly informed Hiko which room was his, and they both put their travel bags in there, before going back outside. Kaoru joined them a few minutes later, having changed into a clean kimono, and everyone headed off to the restaurant.

. . .

"Welcome back, Kaoru-chan! Kenshin-san!" Tai said as the group entered the restaurant. "How was your stay in Kyoto?"

"It was fine, Tai-chan," Kaoru replied, the group following the owner to a table.

_Tai? That's odd, she looks exactly like Sai, who runs the Shirobeko, in Kyoto. It's a good bet that they are related,_ Hiko thought, mentally shrugging as he kneeled at the table next to Kenshin. Megumi slid onto the cushion on Hiko's other side while Kaoru was still distracted talking to Tai.

Dinner went by without too many problems. Hiko picked at his food, not really hungry and stayed out of the conversation, for the most part. The loud atmosphere was not what he considered relaxing.

Megumi noticed Hiko's silence and the fact that he hardly touched his food. _He might just be experiencing fatigue from traveling,_ she thought, staring at Hiko.

Kaoru, seeing Megumi's unwanted (in her opinion) attention, distracted her from the red head by engaging the older woman in conversation.

After dinner, everyone stood outside the restaurant, exchanging goodbyes. Megumi watched Hiko, carefully. The red head looked like he was tired and wanted nothing more than to go to bed. _Are his cheeks a bit flushed? It could just be a trick of the light, but..._ her thoughts trailed off as Hiko caught and returned her stare. His eyes were emotionless, his face carefully neutral, before he turned and followed Kaoru and Kenshin back to the dojo. _He's trying to hide it. He's sick, knows it and is trying to hide it. I could examine him tonight, but he looks pretty tired and could probably use the rest._ "Ken-san! Could you stop by the clinic in the morning?" she asked.

Hiko stopped and looked at her.

Noticing his suspicious gaze, Megumi elaborated. "There's something I need you to do for me. Will you stop by?"

Hiko stared at her for a moment longer before he decided there were no ulterior motives and nodded. He turned to catch up with Kaoru and Yahiko.

Kenshin chuckled, internally. _Observant, sneaky fox. Shishou, it looks like you didn't hide your illness well enough. You're going to the doctor in the morning._

. . .

Hiko awoke when someone placed a hand on his shoulder. He batted the hand away, jumping up into a defensive position before he realized it was only Kenshin. He repressed a groan, closing his eyes as his body informed him sudden movements were a bad idea. Opening his eyes, he glared at his deshi. "You should know better than to try and wake me up like that, Kenshin," Hiko said, quietly.

Kenshin shrugged. "I tried talking to you, but you wouldn't wake up and I didn't want to raise my voice for fear of waking Kaoru or Yahiko," he explained. He grinned, a little mischievously. "Would you prefer for me pour a cup of cold water on you in the future?"

Hiko didn't even dignify that with a reply.

"Anyway, you need to get up and start breakfast. After breakfast, comes laundry and then you will go to the market to pick up any groceries Kaoru may need," Kenshin said, leading Hiko to the kitchen.

"I am _not_ doing the laundry."

Kenshin looked at him innocently. "I could do it. I don't mind at all--"

"Absolutely not! Not in my body you won't! I forbid it!" Hiko seethed, barely keeping his voice quiet enough to not disturb the other occupants of the dojo.

"Well, Shishou, Kaoru is busy training Yahiko and teaching at other dojo. Yahiko is busying practicing and working at the Akabeko. Sano doesn't live here and flat out refuses to work, anyway. So, either I can do the laundry, or you can do it. It's your choice."

Hiko mumbled something, glaring at the floor. He already didn't feel well and Kenshin wasn't doing much to improve his mood.

"You're supposed to be acting like a carefree rurouni. Remember to smile-- like this!" Kenshin said, demonstrating.

Hiko stared. "You'd better wipe that ridiculous look off my face before someone sees you!" he whispered, fiercely.

Kenshin did as he was told, not quite fully masking the amusement in his ki as he helped Hiko prepare breakfast.

After it was ready, Kenshin gave Hiko a quick tour around the dojo, before waking the others. Sano appeared as the meal was served and he, Kaoru and Yahiko all attacked the food. Hiko stared at the ghastly sight before him. _I think I just lost my appetite. Even Kenshin's sorely lacking table manners weren't nearly that bad!_ Hiko thought, glancing at his deshi.

Kenshin sat next to Hiko, calmly sipping his tea with his eyes closed, trying to block out the sound of his friends eating. He had grown accustomed to the display, but some days were worse than others.

After all the food had been devoured, Kenshin sat in the kitchen with Hiko, talking to him as the latter washed the dishes. "Most meals aren't that bad, but Yahiko's growing, so he's always hungry. Sano's only meals are what he gets here and what he can add to his tab at the Akabeko. Kaoru wants to make sure that they don't eat all the food before she gets some and, well, meals tend to dissolve into chaos pretty quickly," Kenshin explained, shrugging.

Hiko didn't respond, casting out his ki to make sure no one was within earshot. They weren't.

"Now, the laundry is next, but I think that can wait until after you stop by the clinic and see what Megumi needs," Kenshin continued, trying to suppress a grin. He failed miserably, but his master was facing away from him.

Hiko grunted. He disliked doctors, but she was one of Kenshin's friends and hadn't been lying last night when she said there was something she needed him to do. Kenshin didn't seem surprised by the request, thus leading Hiko to believe that this happened with some frequency.

. . .

Kenshin and Hiko entered the clinic, noticing the waiting room was surprisingly empty of patients.

Megumi looked up from her desk when the shoji slid open. "Good morning Ken-san, Hiko-san. How are you this morning?" she asked.

"Good morning, Megumi-dono. Was there something you needed?" Hiko asked, getting straight to the point. The less time he had to be here, the better.

"Yes, if you would follow me," she said, moving towards the back of the clinic. Hiko followed her into a small room with a mat on the floor in the center of the room with some medical equipment on a tray. "I need you to sit on the mat, and remove your gi," she instructed.

"I do not need an examination. If that was all, then I'll be leaving," Hiko said, turning to go. He found Kenshin standing in the doorway, conveniently blocking his escape.

"Ken-san, you're sick. Knowing you, you'll ignore it until it becomes much worse and ultimately more detrimental to your health in the long run. I just want to give you a quick examination to make sure it isn't too serious," Megumi explained. _I'm glad Hiko came, I couldn't have forced Kenshin to stay. Although, I've never had to force an examination on him in the past..._

"Shishou, please move out of my way," Hiko said, his soft voice betraying his anger towards his deshi. He cringed as he felt an intense itching in his throat. _No, not now. I can't start coughing right now..._ he thought, firmly suppressing the urge. That only seemed to make it more insistent.

Kenshin looked down at Hiko. "Baka, you've been sick for the past several days. Let Megumi do a quick examination, and then we'll go." _Are you so eager to wash the laundry, Shishou? Although, I suppose I have no room to talk. After all, I gained my dislike of doctors by following his example,_ Kenshin mused. He noticed Hiko tense, his breathing somewhat strained as he tried to keep himself from coughing. _This should do it,_ Kenshin thought. "Are you going to deny being sick, or will you let Megumi examine you? Well, answer me, boy!"

Hiko glared at his deshi, his eyes shifting to amber. Kenshin was baiting him, and Hiko had no choice but to respond. "I'm not--" Hiko broke off into a fit of coughing, no longer being able to restrain it. "-- sick," he finished.

Kenshin just looked at him. "Uh-huh."

Hiko continued glaring. "It's just a minor cold," he said, dismissing their concerns.

"I'll be the judge of that, Ken-san. Nothing with you is ever minor. Now, will you please sit on the mat and remove your gi, or do I have to ask your master to restrain you?" Megumi asked.

Knowing Kenshin wouldn't hesitate to make a scene, Hiko did as he was told. He glared at the floor, coldly ignoring the other two occupants in the room, while he tried to come up with a fitting punishment for Kenshin when this was all over.

Seeing her patient was obviously in a very foul mood, Megumi worked quickly, not even taking the time to glance at his face.

Kenshin raised his ki until Hiko looked at him. The tall swordsman pointed to his eye. Hiko got the message and took a deep breath, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, they were violet. Kenshin nodded and Hiko went back to glaring at the floor.

. . .

Twenty minutes later, Kenshin and Hiko were back on their way to the dojo. Megumi had announced that he only had a cold (which earned Kenshin another glare from his master) and sent them on their way with some mint and chamomile tea for Hiko's cough. However, she was worried that he had continued traveling while being sick and told him to be careful to not overexert himself.

"Now, that wasn't so painful, was it?" Kenshin asked, almost jovially. Not only did Kenshin _not_ need to be examined, but he got to force Hiko to sit through one. Yes, today was turning out to be a wonderful day, indeed.

Hiko retained his icy silence, although his anger did flare at the comment.

Kenshin sighed. "Look, someone was bound to notice sooner or later. It just happened sooner, and now whenever anyone else asks, you can tell them that Megumi already examined you."

Suddenly, an idea formed in Hiko's mind. "You know, Kenshin, Megumi told me not to overexert myself. I don't think I'll be able to do the laundry. In fact, I think I should lie down, and stay in bed all day. Doctor's orders, and all that," Hiko said. He waited to see what Kenshin's reaction would be.

Kenshin paused for about half a second before continuing down the street. "If you feel you must, then I will not stop you. However, you taught me that the only time you stay in bed is when you are physically unable to move from it. If you stay in bed, claiming you don't feel well, Kaoru will hover over you, crying, and Yahiko will probably stay in your room, as well. Megumi will come and give you a more thorough examination to find out what's wrong. Everyone will be convinced you're dying and you won't have a moment's peace. How badly do you want out of doing my chores?"

"..."

"That's what I thought," Kenshin said, smiling.

. . .

Kenshin sat on the porch, watching as Hiko washed the laundry. The ebony-haired master smiled as he felt the ki of two little girls racing towards Hiko.

"Ken-nii-san! Ken-nii-san!"

Hiko looked up. _Oh, no. Not them, again. What am I supposed to do?_ he wondered as they approached. He braced himself for the impact as one jumped onto his back and the other grabbed his arm. He waited a few seconds, allowing them to hug him, before speaking. "I'm sorry, little girls, but I need to wash the laundry."

They looked crestfallen until the older one had a bright idea. "We'll help you, Ken-nii-san!" she said, excitedly.

"Yeah, we'll help!" the smaller one agreed.

Hiko seriously doubted that.

About half an hour later, Hiko was grinding his teeth, trying hard not to yell at the children. Their idea of 'helping' him meant that they splashed water all over him and played with the bubbles in his hair. The front of his hakama was soaked, his hair and the back of his gi were wet and some of the bubbles had slid down into his right eye, stinging like crazy. To say he was unhappy would be a massive understatement. He didn't realize his ki had been rising in anger until he felt Kenshin's rise as well, in a warning. He glared at his deshi, violently curbing his anger. He didn't need to accidentally allow his eyes to become amber again.

Kenshin nodded at Hiko's silent demand, walking over to the giggling girls. They both stopped and stared at him as he approached. "Hi there. My name's Hiko. What's yours?" Kenshin asked, smiling.

"I'm Suzume and this is Ayame," the older one said, introducing them.

"You both have very pretty names," Kenshin replied. The girls giggled. "What are you two doing?"

"We're waiting for Ken-nii-san to finish the laundry so he can play with us," Suzume answered.

"Yeah, so he can play!"

"I don't think he'll be done for a while," Kenshin said, looking at the large pile of clothes waiting to be washed.

Suzume folded her arms, thinking. "Will you play with us, Hiko-nii-san?"

"Sure. In fact, I think I saw a ball in the dojo..."

"We'll go get it!" Suzume said, dragging Ayame off to find the ball.

Kenshin turned back to Hiko, who was still trying to rinse the soap out of his eye. The red head stopped long enough to glare at Kenshin with one clear violet eye and one bloodshot violet eye. "You're ruining my reputation."

Kenshin shrugged. "I could either play with them, or I could sit on the porch and let them continue to help you with the laundry. What would you have me do?"

Hiko chose not to comment, instead continuing his efforts to rinse the soap out of his eye.

Kenshin hid his smile, turning away from Hiko as the girls came back, paper ball in hand.

. . .

Gensai-sensei came by to pick up Ayame and Suzume before they got a chance to play with the red head. They didn't mind, though, because 'Hiko-nii-san' turned out to be just as fun. Gensai-sensei also dropped off a fish-- one of his patients had paid for his bill with food, so Gensai decided to share.

Hiko thanked the doctor for the fish, as Kaoru was currently in the bath, and took it to the kitchen.

"I would suggest you start cooking that now," Kenshin advised.

"It's a little early to start dinner, Kenshin."

"True, but if you don't, Kaoru will likely want to try out one of her secret family recipes. The end result will be inedible, and the rest of dinner will be ruined, as well. Trust me on this, Shishou. You don't want to let Kaoru cook," Kenshin warned.

Although he was a little skeptical, Hiko decided to take Kenshin's advice and started making dinner. A little later, Kaoru walked by, obviously having just gotten out of the bath.

"Kenshin? Isn't it a bit early to be making dinner?" she asked.

"I wanted it to be ready when you got out of the bath, Kaoru-dono," Hiko lied, easily.

"Okay," Kaoru said, a little uncertainly. She spied the fish cooking on the stove. "Oh, Kenshin, you should have told me we were having fish tonight! I wanted to try my grandmother's recipe!"

"I'm sorry, Kaoru-dono," Hiko apologized. _Well, Kenshin was right about that. He was never a picky eater and indeed was willing to eat much worse things than I was. But, if he's warning me against Kaoru's cooking..._ Hiko shuddered mentally. _Could someone's cooking really be **that** bad?_

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	7. Saito

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

**Chapter 7**

Kenshin's mind became aware as he heard a soft rustle of cloth. Not sensing any hostile ki nearby, he assumed it was Hiko shifting in his sleep and allowed his mind to drift back into his slumber. Or, at least, tried to. All thoughts of sleep fled, as he was liberally soaked with icy water. Gasping and sputtering, Kenshin looked up to see Hiko standing in front of him, smirking, with an empty bucket dangling from one hand.

"Good morning."

"And what, if I may ask, is so good about it?" Kenshin asked, more than a little annoyed as he wrung some of the excess water out of his hair.

"You need to learn to enjoy the simpler things in life, Kenshin. You're alive, the sun is shining-- or will be, in an hour or so," Hiko replied, kneeling in front of Kenshin and producing two sake saucers. Kenshin slept with the sake jug in his lap and only allowed Hiko to drink when he did.

_Sake first thing in morning. Sure, why not?_ Kenshin thought, pouring sake for both of them. "And _why_ are we up this early, Shishou?"

"To have a private discussion about our situation."

Kenshin groaned. "Couldn't it have waited until later? We've talked about this before, and haven't come up with anything-- why do we have to discuss this _now_?"

"I'm not anxious to live _your_ life for the rest of _my_ life, so we need to figure out what you did to land us in this mess in the first place," Hiko replied, draining his saucer. He let his eyes fall half closed, savoring the taste of the sake.

"You can't blame the situation on me-- you don't even know what caused this!" Kenshin said, defensively.

"Think about it, Kenshin. I trained you for several years and not once did something like this happen, even when you came back to complete your training. The only difference is that now you are a master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu."

Kenshin didn't see where Hiko was going with this. "And? What does that have to do with anything?"

"And, since the only difference between our training sessions is the fact that you were a master during one of them, that must have had something to do with it. Thus, it is all your fault," Hiko explained, leaning back and closing his eyes.

Kenshin rolled his eyes. "All right, so this is my fault. Fine. How do we go about fixing the problem?"

"Baka! If I knew that, I would already be back in my body!"

_So, basically you wanted to blame everything on me and wait for me to find a solution,_ Kenshin thought, sipping his sake pensively. "So, the fact that we are both masters and used the same attack caused us to switch bodies. In that case, the effect might be reversed if we do it again," he said, slowly.

"So, you think that if we both used the Ku-zu-ryu-sen it would switch us back?" Hiko asked, snorting derisively. "It won't work."

"If you're not willing to at least try, then you may as well get used to that body because it will become your permanent residence. We don't know why we switched, so experimentation is necessary in order to switch back. It may not work; but, then again, we may be back where we belong before breakfast. What have you got to lose by trying?" Kenshin replied.

Not being able to come up with any excuses as to why they shouldn't try, Hiko folded his arms, glaring at the floor. _It can't be that easy._

_What an obvious solution. Perhaps that is the very reason why we didn't think of it before-- and the reason Shishou is upset. Such a simple solution, and he didn't think of it,_ Kenshin mused, draining his saucer. He stood and began untying his obi. "Allow me to change into some dry clothes, and we shall test this theory."

A few minutes later Kenshin and Hiko stood facing each other in the courtyard of the dojo. The sun left the horizon as Hiko drew the sakabato. _This isn't going to work and Kenshin knows it. The only reason he's doing this is to annoy me by beating my Ku-zu-ryu-sen. Baka deshi,_ Hiko thought, falling into the beginning stance.

Across the yard Kenshin mirrored his movements, flipping the blade of the katana. _That's strange. Shishou's ki is still upset. I wonder why? He shouldn't be that angry that I thought of the answer to our problem. If this works, and I see no reason why it shouldn't, I would think he would be pleased at the prospect of having his body back._ Kenshin's eyes widened as an idea struck him. _Could it be that Shishou is actually **enjoying** living my life? No, it must be something else. In any case, I will be happy to get my body back. Although, through training, I've made this body faster, it's just too bulky for me._

"Are you ready?" Hiko asked, impatiently, interrupting Kenshin's thoughts. _Let's just get this over with._

Both swordsmen stood ready to attack, but neither moved. A pair of young, sleepy eyes watched curiously, wondering what was going on.

As if by some unseen signal, both masters sprang into action. The sun glinted off of the steel as eighteen strokes were made, the harsh sound of metal against metal echoing through the courtyard as the swords clanged together. It was over in an instant.

All vestiges of sleep were banished from Yahiko's mind as he saw the Hiten Mitsurugi masters clash. He was forced to take a step back from the force of their ki colliding. "Wow," he breathed.

Kenshin stood from where he had been crouching, a frown marring his features. _It didn't work. There's something missing, but what...?_ He sheathed his sword, turned and walked back inside.

Hiko pushed himself up onto his elbows, glaring at the ground. He looked up as he heard Yahiko speak.

"I didn't think anyone could beat you, Kenshin, but your master did in only one attack! That was so awesome!"

Hiko tuned out the boy's babbling, not wishing to hear more about his humiliation. A new voice drew his attention.

"What's going on? I heard a lot of noise out here. Kenshin, why are you lying on the ground?" Kaoru asked, yawning as she joined Yahiko on the porch.

"Oh, Kaoru, you shoulda seen it! Kenshin and his master were sparring and Hiko took Kenshin down with one attack! Just laid him out flat! I didn't think there was anyone who _could_ do that!" Yahiko said, animatedly telling her what happened.

Kaoru ignored Yahiko, focusing on Kenshin. "Is breakfast ready?" she asked, yawning again.

. . .

After Hiko had finished Kenshin's chores, they headed off to the marketplace. The streets grew more crowded as they neared their destination, but one ki in particular caught Kenshin's attention. Scanning the area, he located the tall officer exiting a shop. _Perhaps he won't see us-- never mind,_ Kenshin thought, as Saito glanced in their direction. Immediately recognizing Hiko's bright red hair, he started towards them.

Kenshin stopped Hiko, turning so that his back was towards Saito. "Shishou, mask your ki. The tall police officer heading towards us knows me. His name is Saito Hajime and is called the wolf of Mibu. He was captain of the third troop of the Shinsengumi during the Bakumatsu, and will probably try to goad you into fighting him. None of our battles have ever been conclusive," he explained.

"I can tell he has some abilities with his sword, but there is no reason why a duel between the two of you should have ended in a draw. He's not that good," Hiko replied, looking at Kenshin disdainfully.

The taller shrugged. "Our duels were always preempted for one reason or another," Kenshin said, quickly.

Saito finally managed to get through the crowd, stopping in front of Hiko. "Hello, Battousai," he said, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"Saito," Hiko replied, acknowledging his presence.

"What are you doing here?" Saito asked, taking a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it.

"What business is it of yours?" Hiko returned.

"I make it my business to keep tabs on citizens who continually break the sword banning act," Saito replied, casually. He took a long drag on his cigarette. "Besides, now that they've located you, the government is keeping track of you in case there is another national crisis that requires your skills with a blade," Saito added, his voice slightly sarcastic.

_In other words, they want to know where he is in case he becomes a threat like Jineh and Shishio. I'm sure Kenshin realizes this,_ Hiko thought, his gaze flickering to the ebony-haired man.

Kenshin showed no surprise at Saito's admission. He was leaning against a building, his arms folded across his chest, observing how the conversation played out. _I don't think Saito has as much experience with verbal sparring as Shishou, but it should be interesting all the same. I'll just have to break them up before they fight,_ he thought, shifting to a more comfortable position. Kenshin felt as if someone were watching him closely, so he inconspicuously scanned the crowded street around him, trying to pinpoint the observer.

Hiko's gaze slid back to Saito. "So, basically, when the situation becomes too much for _you_ to handle, they want to bring me in to take care of it." Hiko shook his head. "And you still consider yourself my equal?" he asked, contemptuously.

Saito's eyes narrowed. "A wolf can easily take down a manslayer that has become weak and allowed his skills to deteriorate by refusing to kill for ten years," he retorted, shifting his stance slightly.

"Wolf?" Hiko snorted. "More like the newborn puppy of Mibu. Your teeth couldn't hurt anything and your eyes aren't even open yet, since you can't see the obvious difference between your skills and mine."

Saito's eyes narrowed even further. "Would you like to test that theory, Battousai?" he challenged.

Kenshin hadn't found who was watching them, but the feeling was still there. However, he decided now would be a good time to interrupt Hiko and Saito. "All right, children, that's enough! I don't know what quarrel there is between you, but you, baka, have more important things to do," he said, smirking as both Hiko and Saito turned amber-eyed glares on him.

"I would advise you not to interfere in our affairs. This does not concern you and, if you leave now, I won't have to arrest you for carrying a sword," Saito replied, arrogantly. Hiko snorted, drawing his attention.

"You'd have to defeat him before you could arrest him. And that isn't possible," Hiko said. _Kenshin, you had better not allow yourself to be arrested while you're in my body!_

"And what makes you think that I would lose?" Saito asked, taking a drag on his cigarette.

"You have only fought me as an apprentice and you couldn't even beat me then. There is no way you can beat my master. It's just not possible," Hiko answered, smirking as Saito's eyes widened slightly.

_His master? Battousai is only an apprentice?!_ Saito thought, incredulously.

"Oi, baka deshi! You're supposed to be getting tofu for that Kamiya girl, or have you forgotten already?" Kenshin asked, with feigned impatience. There would be a lot of explaining to do if Hiko killed Saito in a duel, and Kenshin knew better than to expect his master to hold back.

Hiko scowled at Kenshin, before turning back to Saito. "You're not worth my time," he said, smirking as he turned and walked away, Kenshin right behind him.

Saito started to follow after them when an accented voice caught his attention.

"There ya are! Ah was sent ta deliver a message to ya."

"I'm busy right now, Chou," Saito said, trying to see where Battousai was going. "This had better be important," he added when Chou didn't take the hint and leave.

"Ah was sent ta inform ya that the chief wants a word with ya as soon as possible," Chou replied.

Saito sighed. It was obvious he wasn't going to be able to fight Battousai today and the next time they talked he'd probably be back to his pacifist self. He looked at Chou. "Meet me at my office tomorrow at 3:00. Bring your swords and don't be late." He paused, considering something. "By the way, don't try to run. I will be very upset if I am forced to hunt you down. And believe me, I _will_ find you." With that, Saito turned and headed back to the station.

Chou kicked at the ground. "Why's he always gotta take his anger out on me?!" he muttered, walking in the opposite direction.

. . .

Kenshin and Hiko walked around the corner, yet Kenshin couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He opened his mouth to ask if Hiko felt the same way when his master rounded on him.

"Kenshin, why do you keep calling me a baka?! I am not an idiot! Why must you always insult me?!" he demanded.

Kenshin was momentarily taken back by the outburst, all thoughts of the unseen watcher being pushed to the back of his mind. He paused, considering Hiko's words before answering. "I am merely trying to act as you do towards me. Insults and derogatory names are quite common when you are speaking to and about me. I'm sorry you don't like it, but... do you think I like it?" Kenshin asked, not really expecting an answer.

Hiko grunted disdainfully, glaring at the ground as he continued walking. Although he still appeared upset, he was actually seriously considering Kenshin's words.

Kenshin followed after him, noticing the feeling of being watched had disappeared. _Perhaps I'm becoming paranoid,_ he thought, continuing after Hiko.

No one noticed as an inconspicuously dressed man took one last look at Kenshin before disappearing down an alleyway.

. . .

After dinner, Kenshin sat out on the porch sipping sake while Hiko washed the dishes. He was going over their training session in his mind, trying to figure out what key element they were missing. His musings were interrupted when he heard soft footfalls coming up behind him. He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. "No," he said, firmly.

Hiko stopped behind Kenshin. "No, what?"

"No, you can't have any sake," Kenshin clarified. "I don't want to be addicted when I get my body back. It's bad enough in your body," he added, muttering the last part under his breath.

"That is my sake," Hiko reminded Kenshin, quietly.

"And your body is the one that is getting it," Kenshin replied, his voice so low that Hiko had to strain to hear it.

Kenshin tensed, feeling the indecision in Hiko's ki and knowing the red head was contemplating a little more drastic method of getting his sake. However, he decided against it, turning on his heel and walking back inside. Kenshin breathed a sigh of relief. _It won't be long before Hiko tries to get the sake jug from me when I am off guard. I need to do something about this._

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	8. Pranks

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

**Chapter 8**

Kenshin's eyes snapped open and he held his breath, listening for the sound that had awakened him. A faint scratching met his ears and Kenshin repressed a groan. _Stupid mouse! Doesn't it ever sleep?!_ he mentally complained, grumpily. Kenshin was not going to let Hiko have the opportunity to wake him up in a creative way again, so he was not allowing himself to fall into anything more than a very light sleep. Any noise out of the ordinary woke him and the mouse's scratching was irregular enough to fall into that category. Kenshin had lost count of how many times it had woken him up already.

Giving up on getting any more sleep, Kenshin silently left the room, but not before noting that Hiko was having no problems staying asleep. He walked outside, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air, realizing it was well before sunrise. Kenshin glared at the dojo, thinking of the sleep he was being cheated out of by the little rodent and by his master the day before. _Actually, this is about the same time Shishou woke me up yesterday..._ Kenshin thought, an idea forming in his mind.

Kenshin filled the furo with water, making as little noise as possible, and built a fire under the tub to heat it. When the water was warm, Kenshin filled a bucket with it and went back to his room. He checked to make sure his ki was completely masked, before silently sliding open the shoji. Hiko was sitting across from the doorway, his head hanging limply in sleep. The sakabato was leaning against his right shoulder, his left hand loosely clutching the sheath just below the hilt. His right hand was lying across his lap.

Being extremely careful to not make a sound, Kenshin removed his mantle, folding it and setting it on the floor, before he crossed the room and set the bucket down next to Hiko. _If Shishou wakes up while I'm doing this, he's going to kill me. If he wakes up before I can get away, he's going to kill me. If he catches me before he's calmed down, he's going to kill me. But how can I resist? It's been so long since I've been able to pull pranks on Shishou. Now that my skills have improved, I can do more dangerous jokes and have a good chance of surviving Shishou's rage. I just have to make sure I do this right,_ Kenshin thought, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly.

Carefully, so as to not wake his master, he took hold of the sleeve of Hiko's gi, pulling it up very slowly until Hiko's hand was above his leg. Kenshin paused, studying Hiko's ki for any indication that the red head was waking. He didn't even stir. _Shishou, you shouldn't have let yourself sleep so deeply. After all, I've always at least tried to get you back for your pranks in the past. Why would it be any different now, when the chances are higher that I'll succeed? You're getting soft in your old age,_ Kenshin thought, smiling as he eased his master's hand into the warm water. As soon as Hiko's hand was resting on the lip of the bucket, Kenshin sprinted from the room. He found a place to hide and settled down to wait. He knew he wouldn't have to wait long.

Hiko awoke, knowing instinctively that something was wrong. He scanned the room, noting that Kenshin was gone, before realizing he felt warm and...damp? _That's... That's not possible. That's just not possible. I... I wet myself?_ Hiko thought, his mind in a state of shock. _It's a good thing Kenshin isn't here to see this..._ Hiko's thoughts trailed off as he moved his right hand to push himself up. It was then that he noticed his hand was resting in a bucket of warm water. Instantly, he realized what had happened. "_**KENSHIN!!**_" Hiko roared at the top of his lungs.

From his hiding place, Kenshin fought to keep his snickers quiet. He knew Hiko would be looking for him in a few seconds. All laughter died when Kenshin realized Kaoru had been woken up by the yell and was going to investigate. Hiko would not be happy if she saw him in his soiled hakama.

Hiko entered the hallway, eyes amber, as he searched for Kenshin's ki. Instead, he felt Kaoru's worried ki and heard the shoji to her room slide open. Cursing mentally, he ran using all of Kenshin's speed and was outside before Kaoru could look down the hall. He skidded to a stop, shivering slightly in the chill air, hoping the assistant master would go back to her room.

Kaoru looked around, wondering where the yell that had woken her came from. Having been awakened from a deep sleep, she hadn't recognized the voice, nor could she understand what had been said, but one thing was obvious. Whoever had yelled was very upset. Hearing a noise outside, she hurried to Kenshin's room, noticing with some alarm that the shoji was open. She stopped in the doorway, becoming even more worried. The room was empty.

_Where is Kenshin?!_ she thought, frantically. Thinking about the noise she had heard seconds earlier, she hastened outside, hoping that Kenshin was alright.

Hiko, mentally cursing again as he felt Kaoru's ki coming towards him, looked around for someplace to hide. His eyes landed on the roof of the dojo and he quickly jumped up, lying down to conceal himself from sight. He shivered again as he pressed his body against the cold roof tiles, his wet clothes only making matters worse. _When I catch Kenshin..._ His thought trailed off into a low growl. He stopped as Kaoru's ki neared his position.

Kaoru's hand was on the shoji when a deep voice stopped her in her tracks.

"So, it seems my baka deshi woke someone up, after all," Kenshin said, walking up behind Kaoru.

Kaoru relaxed when she recognized the voice. Then she realized what he said, her worry mounting once more. "It was Kenshin who yelled? Is he all right?! What happened?!"

"Calm down, Kamiya. My baka deshi is just outside training," Kenshin explained, walking back down the hall. _Who would have ever thought. The great Hiko Seijiro XIII, hiding on a roof from the curious eyes of a kendo instructor. That's almost as embarrassing as the legendary Hitokiri Battousai treed by a five-pound dog. Although, Shishou's **never** going to find out about **that**,_ Kenshin thought, reentering his room. He wouldn't stay there, of course, but he wanted to make sure Kaoru went back to bed.

_That must have been Kenshin's battle yell,_ Kaoru thought, her worries put to rest by 'Hiko's' relaxed attitude. If he wasn't worried, why should she be? Realizing just how tired she was, Kaoru made her way back to her room. _Kenshin gets up and trains every morning? The sun isn't even up yet. He's usually the last one to go to sleep, too, yet he's never tired. How does he do it...?_ Kaoru wondered, her thoughts trailing off as she drifted off to sleep.

As soon as her ki settled down, Kenshin exited his room and headed back to his hiding place. It was still much too soon for Hiko to find him.

Outside, Hiko was a little confused as to why Kaoru left. First, her ki was worried, then she calmed down a bit, then she was worried even more than before, and finally she became completely calm and went back to bed. Taking advantage of the situation, Hiko snuck quietly back into the dojo and retrieved a change of clothes. He quickly made his way to the bathhouse, a little surprised that there was already a bath ready. Making a mental note to not kill Kenshin in as quite as painful a way as he had been entertaining earlier, Hiko peeled off his wet clothes before soaping up and slipping into the steaming furo. He sighed, allowing his eyes to close as the hot water encompassed his cold skin, relaxing him.

_Perhaps I shouldn't kill Kenshin. I mean, he is my only apprentice, even if he is a baka at times. I suppose I should let him live. However, an act such as this cannot be ignored. What would be a fitting punishment...? Oh, that would do nicely... Yes, just wait, Kenshin. I will get you back for this,_ Hiko thought, plotting his revenge against a certain mischievous deshi.

Elsewhere in the dojo, Kenshin sneezed.

. . .

After his bath, Hiko had calmed down to where he no longer wanted to use the Ama-kakeru-ryu-no-hirameki on Kenshin, but not to the point of it being safe for the taller swordsman to come out of hiding. Thus, the residents of the Kamiya dojo ate breakfast without the presence of one Hiko Seijiro XIII.

"Hey, Kenshin, where's your master?" Yahiko asked, looking around as if the tall swordsman would walk in.

Kaoru answered before Hiko could come up with an excuse. "He's probably still training, right Kenshin?" she asked.

"What?" Hiko looked at her, confused. _Training?_

"Yes, he told me you were out training, earlier. Although, you really need to try and not yell so loudly. You woke me up," Kaoru explained, looking at Kenshin reprovingly.

_Kenshin told her we were training... That means, Kenshin snuck back in here, talked to Kaoru and left, all without my being aware of it! I was sitting above him on the roof, and I had no idea he was here!_ Hiko thought, his anger flaring. "Yes, he's probably still training, Kaoru-dono," Hiko agreed, standing up. "I'll go look for him right now, that I will." Hiko cringed, mentally, as the last part slipped out. _Great, now I even talk like my baka deshi!_ he thought, irritated, as he headed outside and left the dojo.

Kenshin discreetly tracked Hiko until he reached the forest. _Shishou, do you really think I would hide from you in there? It would be much too easy for you to find me. However, feel free to search all you want,_ Kenshin thought, reentering the dojo. He had to make use of Hiko's absence to get some breakfast.

In the forest, Hiko searched, making a pretense of looking for signs of Kenshin. He wasn't sure if his deshi was watching him or not, but it was better to be safe, just in case. After about five minutes, he found what he was looking for. Bending down and pretending to study some tracks, Hiko laid a cloth on the ground. Using a smaller cloth, he carefully picked some plants, wrapping them up in the larger cloth and storing them in his sleeve. Having obtained what he came for, Hiko abandoned the 'search for Kenshin' and returned to the dojo.

Feeling Hiko's ki nearing the dojo, Kenshin decided it was time to make himself scarce again. Not having as many places to hide in broad daylight, Kenshin opted instead for hopping over the back wall and keeping tabs on Hiko's ki from there. His master was still too upset to approach just yet.

Arriving back at the dojo, Hiko made a beeline for his and Kenshin's room, shutting the shoji behind him. _I still can't believe Kenshin had the gall to do that to me,_ he thought, spreading the mantle out on the floor. Hiko removed the cloth containing the plants he had picked from his sleeve. _Not only was he willing to try a prank like that on me, but he was actually able to pull it off!_ Being careful not to touch the plant itself, Hiko got to work. _And then, he was literally underneath me, and I had no idea! He had his ki completely masked and didn't make a single sound! In my body! It is a simple task to mask one's ki and I can move quietly, with barely a whisper. That is quite a feat, especially for a body as large as mine, but he didn't make a single sound! He's had my body for two weeks, and he's quieter than I am!_ he seethed, internally, as he gently rubbed the leaves over the inside of the mantle where it would rest against Kenshin's back when he put it on. After he was done, he studied his work. _Although, I suppose that could have a lot to do with his training as a hitokiri. I need to move silently on occasion, but not often. An assassin, on the other hand, would have to move silently wherever he went. After several years of doing that, it would become second nature to Kenshin. But that doesn't make it any less embarrassing for me!_ he fumed, noticing there were a few green marks here and there but not too many and certainly none that wouldn't wash out. The entire area Hiko had applied the plant to had a slightly green tint to it, making the darker spots easy to miss. Even if Kenshin glanced at the mantle before putting it on, it was unlikely that he would notice anything amiss.

Folding the mantle so that the tampering couldn't be seen, Hiko replaced it where Kenshin had left it that morning. _At least I'll get the last laugh on this one,_ he thought, with a smile that was the closest he'd come to mimicking Kenshin's goofy grin. Hiko went outside and looked at the soiled garments on top of the pile of laundry, his ki becoming angry again. _Not only do I have to suffer through the embarrassment of Kenshin successfully pulling this prank on me, but now I have to wash my clothes, too! Baka deshi!_

. . .

Kenshin was sitting behind the back wall, idly throwing rocks at a tree. Hiko had finally masked his ki when he had started washing the laundry-- at least, his ki was near the laundry tub before it disappeared, so that's what Kenshin assumed he was doing. The fact that a faint splash could be heard now and then, possibly from Hiko wringing out the clothes or dropping something in the water, supported this theory. After about a half hour, Kenshin decided to peek over the wall and try to determine his master's mood.

Grabbing a low tree branch, Kenshin hoisted himself up and peered into the courtyard. Hiko was kneeling in front of the washtub, scrubbing away furiously. Kenshin cringed, looking sadly at the garments that probably wouldn't survive the encounter with the irate swordsman. _I think I'll wait a bit longer,_ Kenshin thought, silently lowering himself to the ground.

. . .

Hiko stood in the kitchen, washing the dishes. They had just finished eating lunch and there was still no sign of Kenshin. _I've been masking my ki so he'll think I'm either not here or not as angry at him as I was and come back. I can't get my revenge if he never puts the mantle on!_ Hiko thought, rinsing out the last bowl and placing it on a rack to dry.

At that precise moment, Sano walked into the kitchen. He smiled when he saw the red head had finished the dishes. "Hey, Kenshin, are you doing anything this afternoon?" he asked, grinning.

"Why?"

"Well, I've got something important I want you to help me with..." Sano trailed off, his smile widening.

_Perhaps if I leave, Kenshin will return to the dojo. It's not like I have anything better to do._ "All right, Sano, what do you need help with?" Hiko asked, following Sano out of the kitchen.

"I know you don't like to go gambling with me and your guesses are always dead wrong, but..."

. . .

Kenshin watched as Hiko and Sano left the dojo. He shook his head. _Sano's probably going gambling, again. I forgot to warn Shishou about that... Oh, well, it's too late now. At any rate, he doesn't seem like he's still mad at me, so I guess it's okay to come out now,_ Kenshin thought, entering the gate as soon as Hiko and Sano were out of sight. He made a beeline for the kitchen, noticing the Hiko had saved some food from lunch for him. _I suppose Shishou's not that upset with me, after all. All he needed was some time to calm down,_ Kenshin thought, eating the meal.

After he was done, he went to his and Hiko's room. _I'd better put this back on before someone asks about it,_ he thought, throwing the mantle around his shoulders.

Having nothing better to do, and knowing better than to attempt any chores, Kenshin decided to sit in the dojo and watch Yahiko's kendo lesson. Kaoru looked up as he entered, but didn't say anything about his absence. Choosing a spot out of the way, Kenshin made himself comfortable and watched Yahiko practice.

. . .

It wasn't until late afternoon that Hiko and Sano returned to the dojo. Sano had stayed longer than he'd planned because 'Kenshin' was on a winning streak today. He'd correctly guessed every roll of the dice until all of Sano's buddies had run out of money and withdrawn from betting. The street fighter was ecstatic and lost track of the time. Thus, the two walked into the dojo courtyard and were assaulted by the burnt smell that accompanied Kaoru's attempts at perfecting her culinary skills.

Sano, upon realizing who had cooked, immediately turned and walked back out the gate, the money won from the gambling clutched firmly in his hand. _I think I'll go to the Akabeko tonight,_ he thought, setting a quick pace before Kaoru saw him.

Hiko watched Sano leave, a little confused. He turned when he heard someone call his borrowed name.

"There you are, Kenshin! Your master told me you went off with Sano, but I thought you'd be back earlier than this! Anyway, you're just in time! I just finished cooking dinner. I tried a new recipe and I want you to tell me what you think!" Kaoru said, all but dragging Hiko inside.

The smell of ruined food worsened as Hiko neared the dining area. Kaoru had already set out the food and as Hiko kneeled in front of the small table, he couldn't help but notice that his deshi was nowhere to be seen. Kenshin's warning about Kaoru's cooking came unbidden to Hiko's mind as he stared at the inedible looking meal before him.

Yahiko was eyeing the food warily while Kaoru stared at Hiko raptly. "Well? Try it, Kenshin! I want to know what you think!" she said, excited. She was obviously very proud of herself.

_Knowing Kenshin, he'd eat everything and then compliment her on it, even if he got food poisoning. Lovely._ Seeing no way out of it, Hiko picked up his chopsticks and gingerly put a small bite in his mouth, preparing himself for the worst. He choked, almost spitting it out, but somehow forced himself to swallow it, instead.

Kaoru stared at him, unsure what to make of his reaction. It was the first time Kenshin had choked on his food. Her eyes stared to tear up. "You-- you don't like it?" she asked, hesitantly.

Hiko coughed, trying to clear his throat so he could speak. _Kenshin wasn't kidding! I didn't know food **could** taste that bad! Ugh, she should be banned from the kitchen! Unfortunately for me, my baka deshi would never say that. Oh, I want my body back. I hate Kenshin's life,_ Hiko lamented. "It's not-- I'm sorry, Kaoru-dono. I wasn't expecting it to be that spicy," Hiko explained. He just couldn't bring himself to say that it tasted good.

Kaoru accepted his excuse and seemed to think that it meant he liked it. She happily started on her own meal. "I'm glad you like it, Kenshin. I made it just for you," she said between bites.

"I really wish you hadn't," Hiko muttered. He didn't realize that he had said that loud enough to be heard. Yahiko laughed.

Kaoru looked up, surprised and a little hurt. "What?"

"Uh, it's just, uh, you have so much to do-- I don't want to have to burden you with cooking, as well," Hiko lied, quickly.

Kaoru waved her hand, dismissing his concerns. "Oh, don't worry about that, Kenshin! I really enjoy cooking! I wish you would let me cook more often, though. You yourself said that my cooking has improved a lot. How can I continue to improve it if you don't let me cook?"

Hiko nearly choked on his food again. _Improved?! I hope Kenshin was lying, because if this is what her **improved** cooking tastes like, I shudder to think what it was before!_ Hiko was saved from having to answer by Yahiko.

"Let you cook so you can get better? Yeah, right, you ugly old hag! I'm still young and I don't need the poison you call food sending me to an early grave!" Yahiko jumped back, barely dodging Kaoru's bokken.

"You little brat! You should be grateful that you're getting free food!" Kaoru yelled, chasing Yahiko.

Seeing Kaoru distracted, Hiko quickly took the opportunity to dispose of his food. It wouldn't kill him to miss a meal.

. . .

Kenshin walked into the kitchen while Hiko was washing the dinner dishes. The red head looked up at his appearance.

"So, you finally decide to grace me with your presence? I saved some dinner for you," Hiko said.

"No thanks. I decided to eat out tonight. I saw Sano at the Akabeko and he asked me to thank you," Kenshin said, leaning against the counter. "You shouldn't have done that," he added, quietly.

Hiko snorted. "Why, because it ruined your 'losing streak?'" he asked, derisively.

"Partly. Sano is now going to try to get me to go with him as often as possible. However, I would like to know why. I'm sure you could tell from the way Sano acted that I never guess the dice correctly. You don't need the money, so why did you do that?" Kenshin asked.

Hiko shrugged. "Bored, I guess."

"You stole money from Sano's friends because you were bored?"

"It's not stealing, Kenshin-- it's called gambling."

"Gambling is a game of chance. You knew exactly how those rolls would land and were thus able to guess them correctly. That's essentially the same as playing with loaded dice," Kenshin retorted.

Hiko shrugged again. "They're all grown men. It was their money to throw away as they saw fit. They could have gotten up and walked away at any time," Hiko replied, not bothered by his actions in the slightest. He dried off his hands, picked up a sake saucer and walked over to Kenshin, holding it out expectantly.

Kenshin sighed, reaching for the jug of sake on his belt. He stopped as a peculiar odor caught his attention. Leaning towards Hiko, he sniffed delicately. _That's what I thought. Shishou had more than a bit of cheap sake when he was out with Sano,_ Kenshin thought, straightening up. "Sorry, Shishou. You've had enough sake for one day."

"You've been hiding out with the sake jugs all day, Kenshin. What do you mean, I've had enough sake?"

"When Sano goes gambling, there is always sake involved," Kenshin answered.

"Sano only had the cheap stuff," Hiko said, his voice the closest he'd come to whining since his childhood.

_I know. I can smell it,_ Kenshin thought, fidgeting a little as his back started to itch. He looked down at Hiko. "That sounds like a personal problem to me, Shishou," he replied, scratching his back.

Hiko's eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to retort when Kenshin's movement caught his attention. Instead, he turned away, hiding his smile, as he 'stormed' out of the kitchen. _Kenshin will be a little distracted tonight. That's when I'll make my move,_ he decided, still smiling as he headed to his room. _Revenge is so much fun._

. . .

The crescent moon hung high in the night sky, shedding it's feeble light on the world beneath it. The Kamiya dojo was dark, all of its residents having gone to bed several hours previously. All was still until a pair of violet eyes opened in the darkness. It was time.

Hiko stood, carefully watching and listening for any reaction from Kenshin. There was none. Completely masking his ki, the red head silently crossed the room to where his deshi sat, sleeping. Squatting down, Hiko slowly put his arm out, reaching toward the sword-- and accidentally brushing against Kenshin's hand.

Immediately, Kenshin jumped up into a defensive position, drawing his katana from its sheath. Hiko, expecting this, quickly moved to the side. The sake jug, having fallen out of Kenshin's lap when he jumped up, rolled on the floor before the red head snatched it. Hiko held the sake jug almost protectively, glaring at Kenshin as if daring him to try and take it.

Kenshin blinked, trying to figure out what was going on. Seeing the sake jug in Hiko's grasp, he shrugged his shoulders before sitting down against the wall once more. _I doubt Shishou realizes that isn't the jug we've been drinking out of during the day,_ Kenshin mused, trying to distract himself. His back was itching again, but he forced himself to remain still until his master took a drink.

Hiko was startled when Kenshin gave in so easily. _Perhaps he is going to try and take it back while I'm drinking,_ he thought, watching Kenshin closely. He waited, but his deshi wasn't even paying attention to him. It seemed the larger man was having a difficult time trying to sit still. _Ah, yes. I had forgotten about that. Well, more sake for me!_ Hiko thought, cheerfully taking a drink. Immediately he choked, coughing and sputtering at the awful taste. _That tasted like...valerian tea?! Kenshin replaced **my** sake with **VALERIAN TEA**?!_ Hiko realized, enraged. His head snapped up and he noticed Kenshin was gone. Checking to make sure Kaoru and Yahiko were both asleep, Hiko followed him.

Kenshin was standing outside in the middle of the courtyard. Upon seeing his master, he took off running. Hiko gave chase.

"Remember, Shishou-- I'm in your body. What are you going to do?" Kenshin asked, almost playfully.

"_Nothing_," Hiko ground out, making sure his voice was loud enough for Kenshin to hear him, but not loud enough to wake the residents of the dojo.

Kenshin laughed. "Then why are you chasing me?" he asked, innocently.

"Stop and you'll find out!"

Knowing better than to do as he was told, Kenshin continued running. Not wanting to risk being seen by anyone who happened to be out for a midnight stroll, he stayed within the fence surrounding the compound. He ran around the bathhouse before jumping onto the fence and running down its length, Hiko close behind him. From there, he hopped lightly onto the roof and ran over Kaoru's and Yahiko's rooms, before leaping into a tree and back down to the ground, being careful to not make any noise as he ran. The lack of sound and his white mantle moving through the darkness gave him an almost otherworldly appearance. He was pleased that he was having little trouble staying ahead of his master, all his training was paying off.

When the chase had started, Hiko had actually been glad he'd been in Kenshin's body for the first time since the switch. Kenshin was slightly faster than Hiko, so the red head thought it would be a simple matter to catch his deshi and teach him a lesson. However, he had not been able to get within arm's reach of the ebony-haired swordsman. He had stayed right behind Kenshin, tantalizingly close to his prey, but still out of his grasp. _Why can't I catch him?! Kenshin's body is faster than mine!_ Suddenly, Hiko remembered when he had found Kenshin training in the stream, two days after they had switched. _He wasn't training himself to use my body-- he was training my body to become faster! He got up and trained every morning during the trip to Tokyo, and now I can't catch him!_

Hiko noticed that it was getting more difficult to focus on things around him. His steps were slowing and he felt very tired. _What the-- oh, that's right. Valerian tea. Must have been a strong dose to be affecting me this much already. Blast it, Kenshin._ Hiko came to a stop, his zori scraping softly on the dirt. Kenshin stopped across the yard. Glaring disdainfully at his deshi, Hiko turned and reentered the dojo. Not having much choice in the matter, he returned to their room to sleep off the effects of the drug.

Kenshin waited outside until he was sure Hiko was asleep. Going inside, he resumed his seat against the wall, trying to get comfortable. His back was itching like crazy and refused to be ignored. Scratching only made it worse, as did any contact in general. Opting to unfold the futon and lay on his stomach, Kenshin sighed. It was going to be a long night.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	9. I'M ME, AGAIN!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

**Chapter 9**

Hiko woke, feeling very well rested. He stood, stretching luxuriously, before looking at his deshi, curiously. _That's odd. Kenshin was sleeping sitting up last night. Why is he using a futon?_ Hiko wondered, absently scratching his back.

Hearing Hiko's movements, Kenshin turned his head, opening his eyes wearily. He was still lying on his stomach, that having been the most comfortable position he had been able to find due to the discomfort of his back. The circles under his eyes clearly indicated that he did not get nearly as much rest as he should have. _Morning already?_ he wondered, firmly resisting the urge to scratch his back. _So much for getting any more sleep._

Hiko raised an eyebrow at Kenshin, but the ebony-haired man turned his head away, clearly dismissing Hiko. The red head almost felt bad for doing that to Kenshin-- almost. Hiko made his way to the kitchen. _That'll teach Kenshin to try and make me wet myself again. Now, about his little trick with the valerian tea last night..._ Hiko's thoughts trailed off as he searched around the kitchen for something. _I know I saw some in here the other day. Where did it go? Ah ha! Found it!_ Hiko thought, triumphantly, as he spotted what he was looking for. Smiling a little evilly, he started breakfast.

. . .

Hearing the other occupants of the dojo moving about, Kenshin reluctantly drug himself off of the futon and entered the dining area. The itching on his back grew worse as his movements caused the fabric of his gi to rub against the sensitive skin, irritating it even more. Determined to hide his aliment, Kenshin firmly quenched the urge to scratch and kneeled next to Hiko, as always, and began eating. He poured himself some tea, so distracted he didn't notice the powder in the bottom of the cup.

Bringing the cup to his lips, Kenshin took a drink. He froze, blinking back the tears that stung his eyes as the spicy liquid burned his mouth. _Shishou put wasabi in my tea._ He held his breath to keep from spitting it out, vehemently cursing Hiko, mentally. His face started to turn red, beads of sweat forming across his brow as he forced himself to swallow it. He set the cup back on the tray, his motions controlled.

Hiko looked at Kenshin approvingly. _Kenshin has more self control than I'd realized,_ he noted, trying not to smirk. He shifted, trying not to show how much his back was bothering him. _My revenge would be perfect if not for the annoying fact that I can feel what Kenshin feels. Although, if my back is bothering me this much, I can only imagine what his back feels like,_ Hiko thought. Seeing Kenshin twitching slightly, obviously unable to sit still, Hiko decided it was time to make his move. Making sure his ki was completely masked, he placed his hand on Kenshin's shoulder, 'accidentally' brushing his back. "Shishou? Are you okay?" he asked, drawing the attention of Kaoru and Yahiko.

Kenshin's entire body tensed, the contact intensifying the already unbearable itching. The burning sensation in his mouth left by the wasabi, coupled with the sleepless night and his back, caused Kenshin to react angrily. "**Don't touch me**," he growled, glaring venomously at Hiko.

The red head snatched his hand away as if it had been burned, a look of hurt flashing briefly across his face before quickly being replaced with an emotionless mask. Immediately Kenshin felt bad, but before he could apologize to his master, Hiko turned to Yahiko.

"Yahiko, would you mind running to the clinic and bringing Megumi-dono?"

Yahiko nodded, running out of the room without even finishing his breakfast. Kenshin watched him leave, a little guiltily. _Great. I scared him. Even if I am having a bad morning, that's no excuse to take it out on anyone else. Although, Shishou **did** put wasabi in my tea, I deserved that for making him wet himself yesterday. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on him,_ Kenshin thought, berating himself. His shoulders slumped, causing the material of his gi to shift on his back and intensifying the itching once again. _I just hope Megumi has something that can help!_

Breakfast was continued in silence. As Hiko began to clean up the dishes, Kenshin noticed that he was avoiding eye contact and his face was carefully devoid of any emotion. Feeling guilty for lashing out at him, the tall swordsman felt Hiko's ki, trying to determine how much he had hurt the red head's feelings. Kenshin was considerably surprised when he couldn't feel anything at all. _Shishou's masking his ki? That's odd. He never masks his ki. Unless--_ The front gate opened, distracting Kenshin from his thoughts. _That must be Yahiko and Megumi._

Sure enough, the two walked into the dining area a moment later. Immediately, Megumi moved to Hiko's side. "Is everything all right, Ken-san? Yahiko said that you asked him to come and fetch me."

Hiko nodded. "I'm fine, Megumi-dono, but could you examine Shishou? I think something is wrong with his back, that I do," the red head replied.

Without a word, Kenshin stood and left the room. Megumi followed him.

A slight frown marred Hiko's young face. _I thought Kenshin would put up more of a fight than that. He hates doctors just as much as I do._ Shrugging, he carried the dishes into the kitchen.

Kenshin walked down the hall, turning into his room with Megumi right on his heels. She closed the door behind herself, before turning to look at Kenshin, expectantly. "I need you to remove your gi so I can take a look at your back."

Sitting on the floor, he shrugged out of the mantle, tossing it carelessly on the floor, and slid his arms out of his gi, letting it fall around his waist.

Megumi kneeled behind him, taking a moment to catch her breath. Her eyes lingered on the bare, muscular arms and broad back before noticing the blisters and redness. Sternly reminding herself why she was here, she began to examine his back, feeling his muscles tense under her gentle fingers.

Kenshin glanced at Megumi over his shoulder. Her faced was stern, focused solely on the task at hand. However, although her face and hands remained professional, her ki was running wild. The feelings she was exuding made Kenshin feel like a tender piece of meat in a butcher's stall.

After what seemed like an eternity to Kenshin, but was actually only a few minutes, Megumi was finished. "It seems that you came in contact with quite a bit of poison ivy," she informed him, standing. "Don't put your gi back on. It'll need to be washed. I'll be right back."

Stepping out into the hallway, she quickly located Kaoru. "Do you have any comfrey in your garden?" she inquired. At Kaoru's nod, Megumi continued. "Could you bring me a few leaves?"

Kaoru went off to get the requested items while Megumi went back to Kenshin's room. "Kaoru is bringing me some comfrey leaves and I'm going to rub them on your back. It'll relieve the itching and will help the blisters heal faster. How did you get poison ivy on your back, anyway?" she asked.

Kenshin grumbled something that sound vaguely like 'baka Shishou.' Kaoru entered before Megumi could question the response. "What do you need the leaves for?" she asked, handing the leaves to Megumi.

"Hiko-san has a bad case of poison ivy across his back, and this will help," Megumi explained, rubbing the leaves over the infected area.

Kenshin stiffened initially, but relaxed a little bit as some of the itching began to fade.

"I suppose you must have fallen into some poison ivy while you and Kenshin were training yesterday, didn't you? You need to be more careful," Kaoru admonished him, wincing sympathetically as she saw his back.

Kenshin snorted. _My back wouldn't be this bad if I had just fallen into some poison ivy while training. Actually, I wouldn't have fallen into it at all. No, I know **exactly** whose fault this is. I'm just not sure how he did it,_ Kenshin thought, glaring at the floor.

Megumi finished rubbing the leaves on his back and stood up. "That should do it. It'll take a few days to heal completely and a cold bath will help relieve the itching. Well, I really need to get back to the clinic. Remember, if it gets bad enough, go ahead and rub some more comfrey leaves on it. Oh, I would suggest thoroughly washing all of your clothes you wore yesterday, just to be safe," she told him, exiting the room.

Kenshin sighed, not moving from the floor. _Poison ivy. How did he do it? I hardly saw Shishou at all yesterday and he didn't have access to my clothes, except the mantle, but-- no. He wouldn't... would he?_ Kenshin reached over, picking up the mantle and studying the inside with a critical eye. There was a slight greenish tint to the white material and a darker green spot could be seen here and there. _Well, that answers the question of how,_ Kenshin thought, dropping the cloak back on the floor.

. . .

Hiko watched as Kaoru left through the gate. He turned to Kenshin, sitting on the porch behind him. "All right, let's go."

"Oro?"

"I told you not to say that while you're in my body! Yahiko is at the Akabeko and Kaoru is going to teach at another dojo. This means that we finally have the several hours we need in order to re-enact the sparring match that led to this problem in the first place. As often as we've discussed what happened, we haven't been able to have a decent sparring match since, what with all of your friends around all the time. Perhaps retracing our steps will cause us to switch back," Hiko explained, impatiently. Regardless of whether or not an intense training session would solve their current problem, he needed to work off some frustration. This gave him the perfect excuse to do just that.

Kenshin cocked his head to the side, considering it. _Of course Shishou would wait until I'm exhausted to suggest a sparring match. Oh, well, who knows? It might actually work._ "I doubt it's that simple, but it's worth a try. I'll leave a note for Kaoru, saying that we're out training. We'll be interrupted if we stay here," he said, walking back into the building. Having left the note where it would be easily found, the two masters left the dojo.

Kenshin led Hiko to where he usually trained, a secluded little clearing in the forest. They faced off, each eyeing the other warily and waiting to see who would make the first move. Deciding to take the initiative, Hiko sprang forward, his sword swinging in an upward arc. Kenshin easily blocked the blow, throwing Hiko back, and they began.

The red head attacked with alarming intensity, holding nothing back, and using every technique of Hiten Mitsurugi, short of the ougi. Caught off-guard by the vicious onslaught, it was all Kenshin could do to block or dodge the fervent attacks. _Well, it's nice to know my body hasn't lost any of its speed. However-- why is Shishou so upset?! I'd think he was trying to kill me, if I didn't know better! I mean, he still wants his body back, right?_ Kenshin wondered, jumping out of the way as Hiko sent a Do-ryu-sen his direction. He landed on a low branch of a nearby tree, only to have the red head arrive about the same time, felling the tree with one swing of the flipped sakabato. Kenshin jumped clear as the tree fell, eyes locking onto Hiko's. The shorter swordsman glared back at him with amber eyes. His rage was practically palpable. _What has made Shishou so angry? Am I missing something?!_ he thought, countering Hiko's battoujutsu with one of his own. Kenshin restrained his strength, allowing their blades to lock. "What has upset you so, Shishou?" he asked, staring into Hiko's eyes over their crossed swords.

_The poison ivy wasn't enough. He didn't even have to suffer, because of Megumi! No one-- NO ONE makes me wet the bed! I am Hiko Seijiro, the thirteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! I am the greatest swordsman to have ever lived! No, this heinous act cannot go unpunished! I will make you pay for that, Kenshin!!_ Hiko thought, growling. He jumped back, breaking their stalemate.

Kenshin's eyes widened in disbelief before narrowing in anger as he heard Hiko mutter something about 'bed-wetting' and 'injustice of it all' in response to his question. _He's upset because I made him wet the bed? **That** is what this is all about?! What, does he think I **enjoy** having poison ivy covering my back?!_ Kenshin raged, silently. The sweat worked up from such a rigorous workout had washed away the soothing relief provided by the comfrey leaves Megumi had rubbed on his back and the itching was making it difficult to concentrate on the fight. _He thinks to make me pay for the **injustice** done to him. You arrogant, over-confident, self-centered, egotistical little prat! If anyone deserves revenge around here, it would be ME! And believe me, Shishou, I will make you PAY!!_

The tables turned as Kenshin took the offensive, attacking savagely while Hiko scrambled to maintain a proper defense. Although the flora surrounding them sustained heavy casualties, both masters remained untouched by the other's sword.

Kenshin was quite annoyed that he could not land a hit. _It is only to be expected. After all, we are both masters and know all the moves of the style, inside and out. That makes reading your opponent ridiculously easy. I need something that is not of this style-- something that Hiko has never seen before. And I know exactly what to try,_ Kenshin thought, a feral grin sliding onto his face. It was gone as quickly as it had appeared as he shifted his katana to his left hand, drawing back his elbow and holding the sword almost parallel to the ground. He bent his knees, turning his body slightly, and raised his outstretched right hand to hover near the blade.

Hiko watched him, warily. _This is not of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. It does not appear as though Kenshin has done this often, if ever before, so I doubt it is something he has added to the style. That leaves only two choices: a borrowed attack, or a quickly contrived one. However, the intended result is the same, to catch me off balance._ Hiko allowed himself to smile. _Poor baka deshi. You really think that is going to work. I can tell it's a thrust attack. There is a reason why there are no thrust-only attacks in Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. It leaves you vulnerable immediately afterward. It will be my pleasure to show you the error of your ways,_ he thought, waiting for Kenshin to strike. He didn't have to wait long.

Mentally going through the attack in his mind once more, Kenshin sprinted forward. Hiko stood waiting for him, a confident smirk on his face. _I am going to thoroughly enjoy knocking you off of your high horse, Shishou!_

Hiko side-stepped the thrust, bringing up his sword for a counter attack when pain erupted in his side. The force of Kenshin's attack sent the smaller man flying to the side, landing several feet away. His arm curled protectively around the injury as he lay on the ground. He stood up slowly, noticing Kenshin was holding his side in pain, as well. However, that didn't keep the cocky smirk from appearing on his face.

_I'll have to thank Saito the next time I see him,_ Kenshin thought, waiting for the pain in his side to subside. That was definitely annoying when sparring with Hiko-- despite who delivers the blow, both can feel the pain. "Shishou, I'm surprised at you! I would have thought that someone with your level of skill could have easily seen that the thrust could be easily turned to a side sweeping attack," Kenshin said, mockingly. It didn't matter that he hadn't realized it until he had felt Saito's sword in his side.

Hiko's eyes narrowed as his ki spiked in anger. Kenshin's ki spiked with Hiko's, although neither fighter seemed to notice this. _First his prank yesterday and now this. I will get you for this, Kenshin!_ Hiko mentally swore, jumping up to perform a Ryu-tsui-sen.

Kenshin watched Hiko jump high, desperately trying to ignore the almost unbearable itching on his back. _So, you think to humiliate me by using my favorite attack to defeat me? I don't think so! I'm not done with you yet-- I still have to repay you for the poison ivy. I will get you for this, Shishou!_ Kenshin mentally swore, jumping to meet his master's attack.

There was a harsh sound of metal against metal as their blades clashed, the noise seeming to echo all around them. Kenshin's eyes slid out of focus, his master's face blurring and then disappearing altogether. Time seemed to slow as the rest of his normal senses disappeared: smell, sound, touch. He could still feel Hiko's ki almost next to him, noting curiously how similar it was to his own, making it almost impossible to distinguish between the two. There was an odd sensation of falling, yet Kenshin felt as if he weren't moving at all. Time and reality seemed to come back as Kenshin's body impacted with the ground. _What an odd experience,_ Kenshin thought as his mind was enveloped by a natural darkness and he lost consciousness.

. . .

Hiko woke up with a dull ache in his side, his head throbbing and his back demanding in no uncertain terms that he scratch it until the skin was gone. Opening his eyes, he studied his surroundings. _I'm lying on the ground in the middle of a forest. What am I doing out here?_ His eyes fell on a red headed figure lying face down several feet away. _That's right, Kenshin and I were training--_ His gaze snapped back to the smaller swordsman. _That's Kenshin's body. That means--_ Hiko looked down at his hands. Disbelievingly, he patted his chest, making sure it really was his body and even pulled some of his black hair in front of his face, just to make sure. _It's me! It's really me! I'm back in my body!_ he thought, happily, smiling like an idiot and hugging himself. Instantly realizing how he must look, Hiko immediately crossed his arms over his chest, assuming an air of dignity as he surveyed the forest around him, making sure no one had witnessed that spontaneous event. His eyes once again landed on Kenshin.

He smirked, opening his mouth to make a snide remark when he noticed Kenshin hadn't moved. Starting to become worried, Hiko stood and walked over to his deshi's prone form. Kenshin was lying on his stomach, his arm outstretched as if reaching for the sword that laid a few inches out of his grasp. His hair tie had broken, the red locks partially covering Kenshin's face, and swaying gently in rhythm with his breathing.

Hiko smiled slightly, the sight of Kenshin lying unconscious on the ground bringing back memories of the last time he had seen the red head in such a position. Gently, he rolled Kenshin onto his back, arranging his arms in an orderly fashion and stepping back to wait. He had made the mistake of being too close when Kenshin woke the last time and ended up with a bump on his forehead. With his head pounding the way it was currently, he didn't think repeating that experience would be very enjoyable.

It wasn't long before Kenshin began to stir. He opened his clear, violet eyes, staring up at the sky. Confusion and disorientation shown clearly upon his features as he looked around.

"Oh, so I see you finally decided to wake up, "Hiko said, arrogantly. It didn't matter that he himself had woken up only moments previously.

Violet eyes landed on the tall swordsman. The red head sat up, hissing involuntarily as his side informed him that using any of those bruised muscles was a bad idea. He looked at Hiko, critically. "Shishou?"

The master just smirked. "It's about time you did something right." He paused, and felt around in his cape. "Well, almost."

"Oro?"

"Baka deshi. You forgot to bring the sake."

Kenshin rolled his eyes. _Shishou's feeling better, I see._ He looked at his master again. "What happened?"

Hiko's smirk disappeared, his face becoming serious. He sat down on the ground next to the red head. "Obviously we switched back, but I'm not sure how. That last attack-- did you feel anything different?"

Kenshin closed his eyes, remembering. "Yes. It was as if I lost all my senses except the ability to feel ki. And there was something else... As a matter of fact, I believe I experienced the same thing the first time we switched. I wonder why I didn't realize that sooner...?"

"Probably because the first time we were both attacking with ki, as well." At Kenshin's confused look, Hiko elaborated. "You were so focused on countering my ki with your own that you didn't perceive the loss of your other senses. The one that you would be most likely to notice would be sight and, if you'll recall, it was dark. I take it you remembered an odd falling sensation?" Hiko asked.

Kenshin nodded. "Yes, it was like I was falling, but I wasn't moving at all. Very strange."

Hiko nodded. "I experienced the same thing. The question is why?"

They sat in silence for a few moments, trying to figure out what happened. Kenshin thought about the first time they switched, comparing the two training sessions. _It wasn't the technique, obviously, since the Ku-zu-ryu-sen was used the first time and the Ryu-tsui-sen the second. Also, ki didn't have anything to do with it, as neither of us used our ki the second time. But, what else is there? Did one or both of us do something that I am missing?_ he wondered, folding his arms. He thought back to what happened at the moment of the switch. _We attacked simultaneously. My senses disappeared, leaving me only with the ability to read Shishou's ki. Then--_ Kenshin paused. He looked at Hiko. _At the moment of our switch, Hiko's ki was almost completely synchronized with mine. Could that have something to do with this...?_ he mused, going over the fights again.

Hiko was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate. The sparring match had not helped the itching on his back, and it was driving him crazy. _How did Kenshin put up with this?! His back had to have been as bad as this, if not worse, for all last night and this morning before I had Yahiko bring Megumi! I'm pretty sure she gave him something because my back didn't itch after she left. It'll be suspicious if I go and ask her what she did and there's no way I am going to go see a different doctor. I wonder if I can coerce Kenshin into telling me what she did... Oh, I can't stand it!_

Suddenly, Kenshin chuckled, interrupting Hiko's thoughts.

"Would you care to share what you find so amusing?" Hiko asked, dryly. _I don't think I was being that noticeable, but Kenshin would find it hilarious that I have to suffer the consequences of the poison ivy,_ he thought, sourly.

"I think I may have figured it out. Our minds were synchronized," Kenshin said. Hiko raised an eyebrow at that statement.

Kenshin just smiled. "It is safe to say that it is not the attack that caused this to happen, as we used two different techniques; nor ki intimidation, since we didn't even use that in this last match. Think about it. At the moment of the switch, I felt your ki. It was almost completely synchronized with mine, making it difficult to tell the two apart. And our thoughts were the same, as well-- we were each dead set on making the other pay for the pranks pulled yesterday. We were united in our efforts to exact revenge upon each other," Kenshin said, smiling ironically.

"I believe the same to be true of the match when we switched the first time. I was exhausted and wanted to end the fight. I assume the same was true of you?" Hiko remained silent, so Kenshin continued. "I thought as much. So, really, it didn't matter that we had been fighting. All that is required in order for us to switch is for our minds to synchronize, which would explain why we couldn't switch when we tried the Ku-zu-ryu-sen two days ago. Although, I haven't figured out why that would be the case," Kenshin admitted.

Hiko snorted. "That's easy. Almost any skilled person that has mastered a style of fighting can synchronize with another skilled fighter of the same style, to a certain degree. It usually happens in battle." Kenshin looked a little lost at how Hiko had come to that conclusion, so the ebony-haired man elaborated. "For example, if two skilled fighters of the same style are fighting together against a group, they will begin to synchronize with each other. Without even realizing it, they never get in the other's way, and they never trip over the other's foes. It could be the first time they have fought together, but it would appear as if they had been fighting side by side for years."

"Users of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, however, are different. Because of the type of training undergone by apprentices, a close bond is formed between master and deshi. Apparently, you strengthened that bond when you learned the ougi without killing me," Hiko explained.

Kenshin considered his master's words for a moment. "However, that still doesn't explain why we switched. We know how, but why? That wasn't the first sparring match between us since I became a master and I'm sure our minds have synchronized before. So, why did we switch now?"

Hiko glared at him. "Well, I certainly did not want to use your body, so it must have been you that wanted my body. Although I can't blame you for being envious."

Kenshin didn't even dignify that with a remark.

. . .

The walk back to the dojo was uneventful. Although Hiko did an admirable job of hiding his discomfort, Kenshin could feel the intense itching on his own back. Knowing Hiko probably wouldn't stoop so low as to ask for relief, Kenshin decided to get some more comfrey leaves for him when they got back.

Walking through the dojo gates, Kenshin automatically turned his footsteps towards the garden. He paused in mid step, a horrid smell assaulting his nose. Casting out his ki, Kenshin's suspicions were confirmed. Kaoru was in the kitchen, attempting to make dinner. Momentarily forgetting about the garden, Kenshin rushed to the kitchen.

Kaoru was standing in front of the sink, trying to scrape what appeared to be charred rice out of a pot. "I was sure I had enough water in there," she mumbled, scraping the spoon against the blackened mass. She turned when she heard the shoji open. "Oh, hi, Kenshin!" she said brightly. "You weren't back from training yet, so I decided to make dinner, although I've run into a little bit of a problem," she explained, showing him what was left of the rice.

Kenshin doubted the pot could be salvaged.

The was a sizzling sound and Kaoru's eyes widened as she dropped the pan in the sink. "Oh no! The miso soup!" She ran over, grabbing the pot with her hands in her haste to get it off the stove. The pan burned her, causing her to drop it almost immediately. The pot fell back on the stove, soup sloshing out into the fire before it fell to the ground, spilling all over the floor. Kaoru jumped back, miraculously managing to avoid the soup.

Kenshin surveyed the kitchen, dismayed. If only he had gotten back just a little sooner...

Kaoru looked at Kenshin a little sadly. "It was almost done. Oh well, I'm sure you're tired from practice, so why don't you go take a nice hot bath while I make dinner? Don't worry about the mess, I'll clean it up," she said. Kenshin seemed like he was under a lot of stress lately and this was her way of helping him relax.

Kenshin paused, thinking of a reason to get her out of the kitchen. "Uh, Kaoru-dono, that isn't necessary. Um, could you go get Shishou some more comfrey leaves for his back while I clean this up?" Kenshin asked.

"Kenshin, I told you not to worry about it! You know where the comfrey is in the garden, and I'm going to cook dinner while you go relax! Is that so difficult to do?!" she exclaimed, annoyed Kenshin was ignoring her. _Kenshin no baka! Why is it so hard for you to accept help?!_

Kenshin opened his mouth to reply, but someone else beat him to it.

"You have no place in the kitchen."

Kaoru and Kenshin both turned to look at Hiko, who was standing in the doorway, examining the mess on the floor. He wrinkled his nose at the smell. "Even _your_ cooking was never this bad, baka deshi."

"My cooking may not be as good as Kenshin's, but I'll bet it's better than yours!" Kaoru said, feeling defensive.

Hiko raised an eyebrow, smirking at the irony of her statement. She had been eating his cooking all week. "Oh, really? And just who do you think taught my baka deshi how to cook?" he asked casually.

Not being able to come up with a good comeback, Kaoru stomped out of the kitchen. Kenshin sighed, and began cleaning up the mess she had left behind.

"Kenshin. Get me those comfrey leaves, and then be quick about cleaning this up. We're all going to the Akabeko," Hiko said, turning back down the hallway. He wasn't sure why he was being nice, but it was partially his fault that Kaoru was trying to help Kenshin relax in the first place. If left alone, she would undoubtedly insist on cooking dinner. Not even Hiko was cruel enough to do that to Kenshin.

. . .

**To Be Continued**


	10. The End

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

**Chapter 10**

The Kenshin-gumi, plus Hiko, walked home from the Akabeko. After the adrenaline of the sparring match had worn off, Hiko realized just how little sleep his body had gotten the night before. The comfrey had helped the itching on his back immensely and, without any other overriding complaints to distract him, his body was demanding rest. It was all Hiko could do to remain awake through the unstimulating conversation during the meal. Kenshin, noticing his master's fatigue, took pity on him and suggested they head home.

It was pretty late by the time they reached the dojo, so everyone went to bed. Hiko relaxed against the wall, relieved to finally be able to give in to his body's demands when he heard Kenshin enter the room. _I can't allow myself to sleep before Kenshin does-- the temptation to pull one last prank would be too much for him to resist. As exhausted as I am, my pride will not allow that to happen. Kenshin must fall asleep first,_ Hiko thought, resolutely, fixing his deshi with an unblinking stare.

Kenshin, settling himself against the opposite wall, glanced at Hiko. Seeing his master staring at him, the red head became a little nervous. _Great, Shishou is planning something, I just know it! He's probably waiting for an opportune moment to pull a prank on me, to get me back for yesterday. I can not allow myself to fall asleep before he does. That shouldn't be too hard, given how tired he is,_ Kenshin thought, relaxing as he returned his master's gaze.

Three hours later, Kenshin revised his opinion. _I know Shishou is barely managing staying awake. Master, you're too stubborn for your own good! Do you really want your revenge that badly?!_ Kenshin mentally smacked himself. _What am I thinking?! Of course he does! Shishou will not stop until he feels he's evened the score between us. Blast it, Shishou! I want to get some sleep tonight!_ Kenshin thought, irritated. His head snapped up as he heard the sound of the dojo gate being opened.

Hiko was not happy. Kenshin was supposed to go to sleep and allow him to rest. The fact that Kenshin stubbornly refused to go to sleep before him, proved to Hiko that his deshi had a last minute prank he was waiting to pull. Hiko's incredible willpower (or perhaps just his excessive pride) had allowed him to stay awake this long and he was determined to outlast Kenshin. He was startled when Kenshin's head jerked up, as if he had heard something. Hiko cast out his ki, diverting his attention from his deshi to see what had caught the younger man's attention. He didn't sense anyone, but he heard the shoji to the main dojo open. Mentally cursing, Hiko stood, drawing his sword, and swiftly followed Kenshin out of the room.

. . .

Manobu surveyed the room, making sure no one was there. Certain he was alone, he quietly slid shut the shoji behind him. Turning back, he barely contained a yelp of surprise as he came face to face with the wrong end of a sword. Wide eyes traveled down the length of the blade, looking at who had caught him off guard.

Hiko glared at the would-be thief, more than a little grumpy. "If you're going to break in, could you at least _try_ to be quiet about it?" Hiko asked, grounding out each word. Kenshin stood next to him, a little surprised that his master had rushed forward to greet the intruder before he could, but waiting to see how Hiko planned to handle the situation.

Manobu blinked. "I was being quiet..." he trailed off, blanching.

Hiko snorted. "Masking your ki doesn't silence your footsteps. I could hear you coming from a mile away," he said, looking at the man before him with disdain. _Even though he's able to mask his ki, I doubt that he's here for any other reason than to steal valuables. Not only is that not enough to justify killing him, but I will not shed blood inside the dojo. The other option is to take him to the police station._ Hiko's scowl deepened at the thought. "Now get out of here, before I change my mind."

Manobu didn't need to be told twice. He hastily made his way out of the complex, stopping at the gate and pausing to look back at the main dojo. _Jotaro was right-- Hiko Seijiro is here. It appears that both he and that red head he was with are staying here. Sharaku will be pleased to hear about that. That makes everything that much easier... Or that much more difficult._ Quietly, he turned and disappeared into the night.

Hiko watched him leave. _I'm not losing any more sleep because of that baka. If Kenshin wishes to chase after him and do something about it, fine,_ he thought, turning and returning to his room.

Kenshin stared in the direction that the intruder had disappeared in. _I dislike letting him go without finding out why he was here. However--_ Kenshin turned, following Hiko back to his room. _Shishou would probably fall asleep in my absence. Everyone would be defenseless if some of his friends were to attack. I highly doubt that will happen, but it's hard to say, when I don't know why he was here in the first place._ Returning to his room, Kenshin sat down against the wall, his unfocused gaze resting on the floor, deep in thought.

Hiko studied Kenshin, intently. He allowed his lips to curve into a smile. _Kenshin will probably brood over this incident until he falls asleep._ Sighing softly, but contentedly, Hiko closed his eyes, relaxing against the wall.

Finally deciding that the intruder was probably a thief, Kenshin looked up at his master. He was surprised to see that Hiko was asleep and apparently had been for some time, judging by the saliva running down his chin. Kenshin had to keep himself from laughing out loud at the sight of his proud master drooling in his sleep.

Still chuckling softly, Kenshin leaned back, preparing to go to sleep. His eyes popped open as an idea struck him. He eyed Hiko critically, smiling a little evilly. Silently making his way over to his slumbering master, Kenshin gently eased the sake jug out of Hiko's limp grasp. _I realize you are very tired, Shishou, but you should know better than to let yourself sleep so deeply when around me..._

. . .

The next morning, Hiko woke up, tired. He would have very much liked to sleep in for a few hours more, but he didn't trust Kenshin to not do something before he woke up. Sleepily, he opened his eyes and glanced at Kenshin. The red head was still asleep. Hiko stood quietly, trying not to wake his deshi.

Kenshin opened his eyes when he heard the soft rustle of cloth signifying that Hiko was up. _Act innocent. I don't want Shishou to become suspicious._ Kenshin looked up at Hiko, sleepily. "Good morning, Shishou," he said, smiling.

Hiko smirked. _I was right. Kenshin stayed up late, brooding over that intruder. Unfortunately, I won't get to leave him a parting prank, but that's all right. At this point, I'll be satisfied if I can escape Tokyo in my own body!_

Kenshin stood, walking towards the door. "Well, I suppose I should go make breakfast, that I should," he said, leaving the room. _Perfect. Shishou doesn't suspect a thing!_ he thought, walking down the hall.

After breakfast, everyone went down to the train station to see Hiko off.

"Won't you stay a little while longer? I mean, it's so sudden, you wanting to go back to Kyoto and all," Kaoru said.

"It is time for me to return. I've been away from my mountain for too long," Hiko replied, mysteriously.

_What a weird guy,_ Yahiko thought.

"Thank you for visiting with us, Shishou. Be sure to come back any time you like!" Kenshin said, smiling brilliantly.

Hiko snorted, shooting Kenshin a dark look for even suggesting such a thing. _Not if I can help it,_ he thought, boarding the train.

Sano looked after the tall swordsman curiously. "Hey, Kenshin, what was with that glare? He seemed really mad."

Kenshin just continued smiling, as if it was a joke that only he knew the punch line to. "He's just happy to be going home. He is rather anti-social by nature," he explained.

"He's happy, so he glares at you? That doesn't make sense," Sano replied, scratching his head.

The red head chuckled. "Well, Shishou isn't a normal person, that he most certainly is not."

Everyone laughed as they watched the train pull out of the station.

Inside the train, sitting next to a window, Hiko sneezed. "Baka deshi. He better not have gotten my body sick!"

. . .

Hiko had been on the train for about an hour when he felt a familiar thirst. _I haven't had any sake since I got up,_ he thought, uncorking his sake jug. He took a big drink before spitting it out all over the seat opposite of him. _That tasted like tea brewed from stinging nettle leaves,_ Hiko thought, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. _But, how...? I drank from the jug last night, and it was fine. Kenshin didn't-- last night, after the intruder! I **knew** I shouldn't have gone to sleep!_ Hiko raged, mentally. He looked sorrowfully at the jug. He didn't think the taste would ever completely wash out, so the container was now trash. His eyes narrowed in rage as he realized that he would now have to go the next seven hours without any sake at all.

/**_BAKA DESHI!!_**/ he screamed, internally.

. . .

Kenshin looked up, cocking his head to the side.

"What is it, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.

"I could have sworn I just heard Shishou yell 'baka deshi' just now," Kenshin replied.

Kaoru looked pointedly at the sake saucer in his hand. "I think you just imagined it."

Kenshin smiled. "You're probably right." He lifted the saucer to his lips, drinking it. _Shishou sure knows where to get the best sake, that he most certainly does!_ Kenshin thought, approvingly.

. . .

Later that evening, a very annoyed Hiko stalked through the streets of Kyoto. Because of Kenshin's prank, Hiko had been forced to buy back one of his own jugs so he could purchase some sake. He felt marginally better after drinking a bit, but not much. He had half a mind to return to Tokyo and teach his baka deshi a lesson, but he was currently enjoying being back in his own body after two and a half weeks of residing in Kenshin's body. He was still in a foul mood when he ran across Shinomori Aoshi. Hiko considered ignoring him, but the ex-okashira's words stopped him.

"I see you've completed your training."

"What?" Hiko asked, looking at the ninja suspiciously.

"The last time I saw you, you and Himura had switched bodies," Aoshi clarified.

Hiko cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I was teaching my baka deshi an advanced training technique that can only be used by two masters."

Aoshi raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Then why was Himura's ki masked when yours was not?"

Hiko smirked, superiorly. "Do you honestly expect me to explain the secrets behind the training methods of Hiten Mitsurugi, much less the advanced techniques, to one who is not heir to the style?" he asked, raising his eyebrow, as well. _How could I have forgotten to mask my ki around the Oniwabanshu?! They're all ninja! Does anyone else know?!_

Aoshi shrugged indifferently and continued walking down the road.

Hiko also continued his trek back to his mountain. He sighed. _Trouble, trouble, trouble. That's all Kenshin ever causes me. I was fine living on my mountain, but then Kenshin had to come and get stuck in my body…_ he complained, mentally.

Unbeknownst to the ebony haired swordsman, a pair of eyes followed his movements from the shadows. _Soon, Hiko Seijiro. Very soon..._

The End

. . .

Author's Notes: I know, I know. I left a nice little cliffhanger, but this is the end of the story. I have a sequel all mapped out. I just have to get around to writing it.


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